Jackie Shroff has revealed that he was offered the role of Chunnilal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas (2002) only after several other actors turned it down — because none of them wanted a part that played second fiddle to Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas.
Speaking to Republic Bharat, the 69-year-old actor said: "Nobody was taking that role because Shah Rukh Khan saab was essaying Devdas' character... 'My character's name isn't even there... Devdas is his name.'"
A role others feared
In the film, Chunnilal is the "king" of Chandramukhi's brothel — Chandramukhi being played by Madhuri Dixit. When Shroff was offered the part, he asked what else it included and was told: "There is one song for you and these are the dialogues."
His response was characteristically blunt: "Even if my role comes during the interval, it won't matter to me because I am seen merely by standing." Shroff said he asked an audience member who had watched the film five times, "You also saw it. I was visible, right?" — to which she agreed.
"When nobody accepts the role, they come to me, and I don't mind," Shroff said.
From junior artiste to leading man
In the same conversation, Shroff credited Dev Anand for spotting him and giving him a junior-artiste role in Swami Dada (1982) as one of Shakti Kapoor's henchmen — the film starred Mithun Chakraborty. He credited Subhash Ghai for his breakthrough as a leading man in Hero (1983), whose famous flute theme was later reworked for his son Tiger Shroff's debut film Heropanti (2014).
Shroff was last seen in The Great Grand Superhero. His horror film Kaali Kheti is scheduled to release in theatres on October 23, 2026.
Sources: The Indian Express: Jackie Shroff reveals why actors rejected the role of Chunnilal in Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas, Hungama Express: Jackie Shroff reveals why he agreed to play Chunnilal in 'Devdas'
Speaking to Republic Bharat, the 69-year-old actor said: "Nobody was taking that role because Shah Rukh Khan saab was essaying Devdas' character... 'My character's name isn't even there... Devdas is his name.'"
A role others feared
In the film, Chunnilal is the "king" of Chandramukhi's brothel — Chandramukhi being played by Madhuri Dixit. When Shroff was offered the part, he asked what else it included and was told: "There is one song for you and these are the dialogues."
His response was characteristically blunt: "Even if my role comes during the interval, it won't matter to me because I am seen merely by standing." Shroff said he asked an audience member who had watched the film five times, "You also saw it. I was visible, right?" — to which she agreed.
"When nobody accepts the role, they come to me, and I don't mind," Shroff said.
From junior artiste to leading man
In the same conversation, Shroff credited Dev Anand for spotting him and giving him a junior-artiste role in Swami Dada (1982) as one of Shakti Kapoor's henchmen — the film starred Mithun Chakraborty. He credited Subhash Ghai for his breakthrough as a leading man in Hero (1983), whose famous flute theme was later reworked for his son Tiger Shroff's debut film Heropanti (2014).
Shroff was last seen in The Great Grand Superhero. His horror film Kaali Kheti is scheduled to release in theatres on October 23, 2026.
Sources: The Indian Express: Jackie Shroff reveals why actors rejected the role of Chunnilal in Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas, Hungama Express: Jackie Shroff reveals why he agreed to play Chunnilal in 'Devdas'
