Actor Jackie Shroff explains why top stars initially refused the iconic role of Chunnilal in Devdas

Actor Jackie Shroff shared in a recent interview that many actors refused the role of Chunnilal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Devdas because Shah Rukh Khan was playing the lead role. Speaking to Republic Bharat, Shroff explained that others turned down the part because the movie was named after Devdas and they felt their character names lacked equal importance.

Casting

When the role eventually came to him, Shroff immediately agreed to take it on. He reasoned that he would get to share screen space with Madhuri Dixit, as he played the head of her character Chandramukhi's brothel. He also liked that he had a solo song and strong dialogues, noting that his presence on screen would still stand out even if his entry happened around the interval.

Career

During the same conversation, Shroff spoke about his early days in the film industry. He credited actor and filmmaker Dev Anand for giving him his start as a junior artist in the 1982 movie Swami Dada, where he played a henchman for Shakti Kapoor in a project led by Mithun Chakraborty. He also thanked filmmaker Subhash Ghai for launching him as a lead actor in the 1983 hit Hero, noting that the movie's famous flute theme helped make him a star. Shroff recently appeared in The Great Grand Superhero and has an upcoming horror movie titled Kaali Kheti scheduled for release on October 23, 2026.

Context

Actors in the Hindi film industry often evaluate supporting roles based on screen time and the prominence of the main lead, which can sometimes lead to characters being passed over despite the film's overall scale. Iconic directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali are known for large-scale period dramas where even supporting performances can leave a lasting impression on audiences. Well-known performers frequently take on secondary roles if the overall project offers strong co-stars and memorable musical numbers.