Almost a week after an expletive-laden video of Jackie Shroff surfaced on the internet and instantly went viral, the actor has decided to take legal action against it. Shot in 1998, the video is a behind-the-scenes clip from the sets of a polio campaign that he was shooting for at the time. A certain Marathi expletive has particularly caught the fancy of social networking sites.
Jackie, who initially laughed off the 'archival oddity' as 'someone out to have fun at my cost' has decided to take serious legal action.
Speaking from outside Ajmer Sharif where he is shooting K C Bokadia's latest project, the actor said, "I thought I'd just ignore it. If someone out there gets his 15 minutes of glory by using my name, so be it. After all, these words and phrases are not alien to us. We've all grown up hearing and using them. If anyone wants to act holier-than-thou about them then that's their problem."
Jackie's grievance pertains to the sneaking and underhand way the video was out. "Why after so many years? It's mischievous and uncalled for. Friends have advised me to sue. I don't know how internet crimes are dealt with. I'm going to consult my lawyers
as soon as I return to Mumbai."
The actor, however, is not apologetic about using the language that he did. "I remember we were working under very taxing conditions to shoot this social awareness campaign for polio. I wasn't getting my lines right, so I got annoyed. And I let loose some colourful language. I do that when my work goes wrong. When I was dubbing for Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Parinda, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was an assistant. I used the same expletive. Bhansali was aghast. He asked Vinod what I meant. But I didn't mean to offend anybody. And no apologies were offered. However If you use my face and words to create an unnecessary tamasha (spectacle), it's time for me to take action. Otherwise, other people may be encouraged to behave badly with me."
Jackie is currently shooting for K C Bokadia's political thriller Dirty Politics near Ajmer Sharif. It also stars Atul Kulkarni, Om Puri, Anupam Kher and Ashutosh Rana.
Jackie says about the film, "It's a comment on present-day politics. Bokadiasaab is directing the film. I had done Teri Mehebaniyan for the same banner 22 years ago. How time flies! It's wondferful to be back working for Bokadiasaab."
Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani
