In an industry that thrives on the currency of youth, Jackie Shroff is a glorious exception. At 67, as he gears up for the release of Baby John, an action-packed spectacle promising bone-crunching stunts, Shroff proves that age is merely a number for those who dare to defy it. He stars opposite Varun Dhawan and looks every bit menacing. From his breakthrough in Hero to a vast career that has spanned four decades, Jaggu Dada, as he is fondly known, has been many things—romantic heartthrob, comic savant, intense character actor, and even a flamboyant villain. But Baby John is a different beast altogether. The film, which sees Shroff in a never-seen-before look and avatar.
What is the secret to his enduring appeal, one wonders, and Shroff tells us it is nothing more than his willingness to adapt. "Reinvention doesn't come through carefully orchestrated strategies, it has to be organic. You have to drop your guards and truly start having fun. If something appeals to me, I don't hold myself back from going out there and trying it out. I don't think of the optics or fear of losing and that's allowed to truly take risks. Be it Criminal Justice, OK Computer, or anything else, I want to be known as the actor who will do something off beat. "What makes Baby John particularly exciting is its sheer scale, he adds. "It's an action film designed to compete with younger superstars, but I am more than up to the task. It was a ball bringing back the old-school swagger. Kalees, Atlee, Varun and everyone was a thrill to be around."
Meanwhile, the Baby John trailer that dropped yesterday, has taken fans by storm, with Jackie Shroff adding the punch and oomph as the devilish Babbar Sher. His fierce, spine-chilling transformation has been hailed as “unlike anything we’ve seen before.” Comments like “Jackie looks phenomenal—this is next-level!” and “The vibe is pure fire!” show the electric buzz surrounding his edgy new look