Once, he grew up in a one-room home inside a chawl, where rats bit his fingers bloody. Today, Bollywood veteran Jackie Shroff nearly 100 families in Mumbai. From paying for children’s education to funding expensive health treatments, he has become a guardian angel. In an interview with the Times Of India, the ‘Hero’ star revealed every child from Teen Batti to Pali Hill has his number and he has told them to contact him if they are hungry.

In an earlier conversation with podcaster and content creator Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, veteran actor Jackie Shroff reflected on his childhood in the Teen Batti locality, where his family lived in a modest chawl in Mumbai. Looking back on those years, he described the difficult living conditions and recalled that he spent his nights sleeping on the floor of their tiny home.

Shroff shared that his family followed a simple lifestyle, with meals often eaten while sitting on the floor, a practice he still believes is one of the best ways to enjoy food. He fondly remembered his mother preparing home-cooked meals while he sat on the ground to eat. According to the actor, those moments remain deeply etched in his memory despite the hardships they faced.

He also recounted some frightening experiences from that period. One incident involved spotting a snake inside a corner of the room where he slept, leaving a lasting impression on him. On another occasion, both he and his mother were bitten by a rat, highlighting the harsh and unhygienic conditions they had to endure while growing up.

Speaking separately in an interview with Mathrubhumi, Jackie Shroff described another challenge of life in the chawl. The building had only three shared toilets that had to serve every family living there. As a result, mornings often began with long lines of residents waiting patiently for their chance to use the facilities. He recalled standing in the queue with a water mug in hand each day, waiting for his turn before heading off to continue his daily routine.

Through these recollections, Shroff painted a vivid picture of a childhood marked by scarcity, overcrowding, and resilience. Despite the difficult circumstances, he continues to cherish the memories of his mother's care and the simple moments that shaped his upbringing, while acknowledging the many struggles that came with growing up in one of Mumbai's crowded chawls.

Today, Shroff’s networth is a whopping Rs 212 crore as per a GQ report. He is known for films such as Hero, King Uncle, Devdas, Parinda etc