Koffee With Karan 7: Anil Kapoor was insecure about Jackie Shroff, says ‘he became A-lister, I was doing bit roles’

Actor Anil Kapoor has revealed that he was insecure about actor Jackie Shroff in the initial days of his career. Anil and actor Varun Dhawan appeared on filmmaker Karan Johar-hosted chat show Koffee With Karan season 7 episode 11. The latest episode of Koffee With Karan 7 streamed on Thursday at 12 AM on Disney+ Hotstar. (Also Read | KWK episode 11 trailer: Anil Kapoor says sex makes him feel younger, Varun Dhawan can’t stop laughing)

During the show, Karan Johar asked them a question about the reality of nepotism. Anil said, “I don’t take it seriously. You just keep on doing your work and your work speaks. If you are an actor you can’t pass on the legacy to your brother or your son. It’s either you have it or you don’t have it.”

Anil then continued, “When I started my career at that time it was of course Sunny (Deol), there was Sanju (Sanjay Dutt).” When Karan interrupted to add Jackie Shroff’s name, Anil said, “Jackie was an outsider in a way but still he got the first break from Subhash Ghai. So he himself became like an A-lister just with that one announcement. I, at that time, was doing bit roles, I was doing south Indian films. I did feel kind of, not feeling good about it. Why?”

Karan asked, “Did you feel, Jackie who was not an insider, he was an outsider who had the privilege of being launched by Subhash Ghai? You felt a little…?” Anil replied, “I still felt it ya. The day I signed Yash Chopra’s film, I felt, ‘Oh now I’m fine’. The host again asked, “Did you feel insecure about Jackie’s success at that time?” Anil responded, “Well yeah. He became a huge huge success.”

Anil recalled an incident, “I remember so well that and he was such a sweet guy. We would be shooting and whenever any autograph book would come to him, he knew they are taking his autograph. But (gestures Jackie passing the autograph book to Anil) ‘Sign karna (Sign it)’. I knew that actually all of them had come for him but he would give it to me. Then I would sign and then he would sign.”

Anil and Jackie featured together in many movies together such as Andar Bahaar (1984), Yudh (1985), Karma (1986), Kala Bazaar, Kabhi Na Kabhi (1998), Ram Lakhan and Parinda (1989), 1942: A Love Story (1994), Trimurti (1995), and Lajja (2001) among others.