Javed Jaffrey Says Lack of a Blockbuster and Industry Networking Held Back His Bollywood Career
Javed Jaffrey recently opened up about his lack of inclusion in the A-list. He cited Salman Khan as an example.
Javed Jaffrey had begun his career in the late eighties, and what set him apart from others was the excellent acting and superb comedic skills as well as dancing abilities. Despite having all these qualities, he never succeeded in becoming a leading man of Bollywood.
Recently, when Screen had asked him why he never succeeded in becoming an A-lister in the nineties, he had stated that "it largely depends on how you are presented."
Public relations are also a vital aspect since there is an established network in the industry, and at times negative things may be said about you. Therefore, it is essential to improve one’s image.
He further said, "I lagged behind in all this. I wasn't part of any group. And if you have a big hit film, no one questions you. Success is the biggest thing. Like what happened with Salman Khan. He started with 'Biwi Ho To Aisi' (1988) and was ignored."
Javed further said, "Then 'Maine Pyar Kiya' (1989) came and after that everyone started chasing him. It was the same Salman Khan; he didn't do anything different, but the only difference was success. After that, you move forward with that. I didn't have any such big hit film."
When reminded that his first film, 'Meri Jung' (1985), was a hit and his song, 'Bol Baby Bol,' became very popular, Javed said, "I was launched as a villain in that film. At that time, Subhash Ghai was the biggest director, and N.N. Sippy was one of the top producers.
He said, "Because of this, people assumed that if I was cast as a villain, I would continue to receive similar roles. This image had already been established. To change this, someone should have made a fun musical film with me, like what happened with Prabhu Deva in the South. But that didn't happen, and I didn't present myself that way either. However, I don't think about these things much anymore."
Javed Jaffrey will not be seen playing Manav in "Dhamaal 4." Directed by Indra Kumar, the film stars Ajay Devgan, Riteish Deshmukh, and Arshad Warsi in lead roles. "Dhamaal 4" was released in theaters worldwide on July 10, 2026.
