Tiger Shroff’s real name is Jai Hemant Shroff: Actor once revealed the funny childhood story behind his famous nickname

Tiger Shroff is in the headlines after three men on motorcycles allegedly opened fire at his vehicle on Sunday evening.

Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff is in the headlines after three men on motorcycles allegedly opened fire at his vehicle on Sunday evening. While he escaped without serious injury, his driver and an auto-rickshaw driver sustained bullet injuries. Both are said to be stable. Mumbai Police formed 15 teams to track down the attackers, and the case has been transferred to Mumbai authorities. Since then, three suspects have been reportedly arrested and are being brough back to Mumbai.

Jai Hemant Shroff to Tiger: How Jackie Shroff’s son got his famous name, which stuck from childhood. (AFP)

Tiger has been in the film industry for over a decade. He made his debut in 2014 with Heropanti opposite Kriti Sanon. The actor is known for his action-packed films, impressive dance moves and martial arts skills. But not everyone knows that Tiger was not the name he was given at birth. The actor, who is the son of actor Jackie Shroff, was born Jai Hemant Shroff, and earned his now-famous nickname as a child because of a very funny reason.

How Jai Hemant Shroff became Tiger

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Born on March 2, 1990, to actor Jackie Shroff and Ayesha Shroff, Tiger was named Jai Hemant Shroff. His childhood nickname, however, eventually became the name the world knows him by. The reason was rather unusual: he would bite people around him, including those at school.

In a May 2014 interview with Hindustan Times, the actor spoke about how the name came about. “I used to bite as a kid ... like bite everyone around.” The habit sometimes landed him in trouble. Recalling one such incident, he said, “I bit my teacher in school, and even got punished for that.”

Tiger told the same story on the YouTube channel Curly Tales while promoting Bade Miyan Chote Miyan in 2024 with Akshay Kumar. “I used to bite people when I was a kid and that is pretty much how I got my name,” he said. Akshay was amused by the revelation and responded, “That's amazing.”

The actor also explained how his birth name came together. His father's real name is Jai Kishen, while his uncle is named Hemant. He said, “It was my way of showing affection in greeting people, seedha kaat leta tha (I just used to bite them). My name was Jai Hemant. My father's name is Jai Kishen, which became Jackie in the movies. My uncle's name is Hemant and that is how it became Jai Hemant Shroff. Since childhood, people just kept calling me Tiger and that's how it became my name. I officially changed my name in the movies as well”

Eknath Shinde visits the actor after shooting

Meanwhile, after the incident on Sunday evening, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited Tiger at his residence after the actor was back from the hospital. Photographs from the visit showed the actor with bandages on his hand.

Speaking to the media, Eknath said the actor had suffered injuries to his left hand from gunpowder and glass fragments. "I met with the actor; he has injuries on his left hand caused by gunpowder and shards of glass."

The Deputy CM also said Tiger and his mother were shaken by the incident and assured them of the state government's support. "Both he and his mother are quite shaken. I have assured them that the state government stands with them in the face of the open threats being directed at public figures. No form of threat will be tolerated," the ANI news agency quoted.

Police form 15 teams to track down attackers

The shooting has prompted a major police investigation, with 15 teams working to trace those responsible. Soon after the incident, two alleged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Kota [Rajasthan], Oct 19 (ANI): A visual of two of the three accused arrested by Kota Police in connection with the actor Tiger Shroff firing case, in Kota on Monday. The apprehended accused will be handed over to Mumbai Police. (ANI Video Grab) (ANI Video Grab)

Kota police also detained three people in connection with the case. Two were identified as Ritik, who is from Bihar, and Rehan, who hails from Haryana. The third person is believed to be a minor, and their identity is still being verified. The investigation has since been transferred to Mumbai authorities.

Police are also examining possible links to an alleged extortion network. According to investigators, Anil Pandit is wanted in connection with more than 12 extortion cases in Haryana. They suspect that threats against high-profile individuals and public claims of responsibility for violent incidents may be used to intimidate targets and demand money.

What is next for Tiger Shroff?

Tiger has continued to build his career around action films, with credits including the Baaghi franchise, War, Heropanti and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. His upcoming movies include Lag Ja Gale with Janhvi Kapoor, Rambo, and an action collaboration with Vidyut Jammwal.