Actor Jaaved Jaaferi on 40 Years of Meri Jung: My debut remains closest to my heart

Actor Jaaved Jaaferi reflects on the significance of Meri Jung, his debut Bollywood film, highlighting its unique character Vicky, a suave college student

For actor Jaaved Jaaferi, the 40th anniversary of Meri Jung is especially significant as it was his first Bollywood film. He explains, “For anyone, his debut remains closest to his heart.” He emphasises the uniqueness of his role: “It was a very different role, not just a typical masala movie villain. Instead, Vicky was a suave, smart college student, a character who was much ahead of his times when it comes to portraying vileness on screen.”

Jaaved Jaaferi

In his early 20s, the offer was a major opportunity, one that his father, the legendary '70s actor Jagdeep, also encouraged. Jaaved recounts the great backing the film had: "Backed by NP Sippy, directed by Subhash Ghai, penned by Javed Akhtar, and featuring co-stars like the legendary Nutan ji, Amrish Puri ji, and Anil Kapoor. And they were all the best in the business, making it an unforgettable experience for a budding actor."

He notes an interesting piece of trivia: "I would mention here that Anil Kapoor was not the first choice for the role; it was initially meant for Amitabh Bachchan but later went to the former. The rest, of course, is history. So, what more could any newcomer like me have asked for? It was one of many great stories being made into a silver-screen blockbuster of its time."

Jaaved also recalls shooting his first song for the silver screen, which became a cult classic: Bol Baby Bol. He describes the track’s innovative nature: “It was a song in three parts and at three different locations, including a first-of-its-kind rap section, composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and, of course, choreographed by the late Saroj Khan.” He remembers the day of the shoot vividly: “I remember her asking me, ‘Chal dikha tujhe kya aata hain’, and then after seeing me dance, she calls her team to join in.”