Jackie Shroff on 'The Great Grand Superhero': 'This grandfather is me'
Synopsis
Jackie Shroff isn't just playing a superhero grandfather — he says he already is one. In a candid promotional conversation, Shroff revealed that the grandfather-grandchild friendship at the core of 'The Great Grand Superhero' is simply who he is in real life, making this one of the most personally resonant roles of his career ahead of the film's 29 May 2026 release.
Key Takeaways
Jackie Shroff stars as a superhero grandfather in 'The Great Grand Superhero' , releasing 29 May 2026 .
Shroff said the character's no-generation-gap bond with his grandchild directly reflects his own personality.
Director Manish Saini , a three-time national award winner, was a key reason Shroff agreed to the film.
Shroff described the concept — a superhero grandfather — as previously unheard of in Hindi cinema .
The actor called the project 'very close to my heart' and working with Saini 'a bloody privilege'.
Actor Jackie Shroff says his upcoming film 'The Great Grand Superhero', releasing in cinemas on 29 May 2026, is deeply personal — because the superhero grandfather he plays on screen mirrors who he is in real life. Shroff made the remarks during promotional interactions in Mumbai on 21 May 2026.
Why Shroff Said Yes
Speaking alongside director Manish Saini, Shroff said the novelty of the concept was a decisive factor. A superhero grandfather, he noted, was a premise that had simply not existed in Hindi cinema before this project took shape. The combination of an untested idea and his trust in the director made refusal impossible, he said.
Shroff was candid about what drew him to Saini specifically: 'A gentleman who's got three national awards. It's the right kind to totally blindly trust. And he trusting me, it's an honour for me. It's a privilege for me. So there was no way that I couldn't do this film.' He added that once he heard parts of the script, his conviction only deepened.
The Character That Mirrors the Man
What resonated most with Shroff was the grandfather-grandchild dynamic at the heart of the story — a relationship built on friendship rather than generational distance. 'A grandfather playing a grandfather and having equation with a grandchild like a friend. That's something which I am. I talk to a child like he's me. I don't see the difference. There's no generation gap,' he said.
The superhero dimension added another layer of personal appeal. 'And then that guy becomes a superhero. And I wanted to be a superhero,' Shroff said with characteristic candour, describing the role as one he could not have turned down.
Shroff on Working With a Three-Time National Award Winner
Shroff was openly self-deprecating about the professional dynamic with director Saini, noting: 'To be working with this gentleman who's got three national, 40 years, I haven't got a single. So obviously, it's a bloody privilege.' The remark underscored the mutual respect he described as central to the collaboration.
What to Expect
'The Great Grand Superhero' is billed as a family entertainer with an unconventional premise — a grandfather who doubles as a superhero, navigating a bond with his grandchild that defies the usual age-gap tropes of Hindi cinema. The film hits screens on 29 May 2026, and will test whether the concept can find a wide audience beyond the family segment it is clearly targeting.
Point of View
However, is the premise: Hindi cinema has rarely positioned a grandfather as the primary action hero rather than a supporting emotional anchor. Whether 'The Great Grand Superhero' can make that premise commercially viable — or whether it stays a novelty — will say something about how far the family-entertainer genre has actually evolved. Shroff's genuine identification with the character is an asset; the real question is whether the writing matches his enthusiasm.
NationPress
18 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'The Great Grand Superhero' about?
'The Great Grand Superhero' is a Hindi film starring Jackie Shroff as a grandfather who is also a superhero, centred on his friendship-like bond with his grandchild. The film is directed by Manish Saini and releases in cinemas on 29 May 2026.
Why did Jackie Shroff agree to do this film?
Shroff cited two main reasons: the novelty of a superhero grandfather concept, which he said was unheard of in Hindi cinema, and his trust in director Manish Saini, a three-time national award winner. He also felt the character's personality — no generation gap with children — matched his own.
Who is directing 'The Great Grand Superhero'?
The film is directed by Manish Saini, whom Shroff described as a three-time national award winner. Shroff called working with him 'a privilege' during the film's Mumbai promotions on 21 May 2026.
When does 'The Great Grand Superhero' release?
The film is set to release in cinemas on 29 May 2026.
How does Jackie Shroff relate to his character personally?
Shroff said the grandfather's friendship-style relationship with his grandchild — with no generation gap — is exactly how he interacts with children in real life. He also said he had always wanted to play a superhero, making the role personally meaningful on both counts.
