'I have been doing action all my life. Am I scared? Yes. Sometimes doing the stunts, I think this might be my last shot. But everyday, I see letter from fans from around the world and I say I can’t meet them or click pictures or sign autographs. So what can I do? The only thing I can do is make different kinds of movies.'
Jackie Chan enthralls his audience in Mumbai.
After a four-hour long wait, Jackie Chan made his grand entry at the Ballroom in a suburban five-star hotel for a press conference.
The actor, who is promoting his new film Kung Fu Yoga in Mumbai, was goofy, funny and very humble.
He's had a long and busy day since his arrival in the city in the early hours of January 23.
He headed straight to shoot for Kapil Sharma’s popular television show, and then arrived directly to the press conference. But you wouldn't be able to tell that his 62-year-old man had such a hectic day, or if he was tired. He was full of energy and entertainment!
Shilpa Shetty welcomed Chan on stage and said, "I can safely say that he is legendary and the biggest action star the world has ever seen because he has had a career span of 56 years."
Chan entered with his Kung Fu Yoga co-star Sonu Sood on a scooter, reminding us of Sholay's Jai and Veeru.
Incidentally, it is Sholay director Ramesh Sippy's 70th birthday on the same day. Click here to vote for his best films!
Jackie Chan broke into a dance whenever he could!
In fact, he's danced to a Hindi song in his new film, and it's been choreographed by Farah Khan.
Was it tough?
"The most difficult part is that I cannot move my head," he explained.
Sonu tells us his Kung Fu Yoga story: "I got a message from Jackie Chan’s production house that we’re making a film with Jackie Chan and would you be interested. I read the message two-three times, wondering if it was true. I spoke to them and was on board! I told my dad that I was going to work with Jackie Chan and he said, 'Really? We will watch the film together when it releases.' But I lost him a few months ago. This is a tribute from me to him."
The film's cast Disha Patani, Amyra Dastur and Miya Muqi took to the stage along with director Stanley Tong.
Disha shares a special moment from the shoot: "We were shooting in Iceland, under a waterfall. It was -5 degrees and I was freezing. I had to show that I was very strong as I was shooting with *the man* Jackie Chan but I was dying from inside. Stanley and Jackie were absolutely fine."
Jackie cuts in and says, "I was not fine. Everybody said ‘Jackie Chan is okay’ and there was no one to take care of me. I am not a superhero. I am a normal human being. Everybody went and took care of her!"
What keeps the action star motivated to do action at this age?
"It's because of you," Chan says, pointing to the audience. "I have been doing action all my life. Am I scared? Yes. Sometimes doing the stunts, I think this might be my last shot. But everyday, I see letter from fans from around the world and I say I can’t meet them or click pictures or sign autographs. So what can I do? The only thing I can do is make different kinds of movies. That’s my best present to the fans."
Jackie Chan won his first Oscar last year. Click here to see the pictures!
"When I made films, I didn’t think I would get awards. I don’t care for it because I am not here for the award. I am here for the audience and for myself. I risk my life for every movie. For 56 years, I didn’t change. You do the best you can and the Oscar comes to you," he says.
Chan reveals that his favourite action stars in Bollywood are Aamir Khan and Salman Khan.
"I started watching Bollywood movies when I was 16. I used to watch the dancing and go away because I didn’t understand the language," Jackie says. "But the last 15 years, I have been watching Bollywood movies because of the dance. It is probably the best in the world."
Jackie loves Indian food too.
Sonu reveals, "He loves Indian food. He loves naan, Butter Chicken. He is going to taste a vada pav now."
Will we see him in a Hindi movie? "Tell a Bollywood director hire me," Chan replies. "No more action films, I want to dance. I want to do Bollywood, that’s one of my dreams."
Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani
