Bollywood Hungama

Manish Saini on why Jackie Shroff was the perfect fit for The Great Grand Superhero; says, He is like a child himself

Jackie Shroff explored a different side of the superhero genre with The Great Grand Superhero, a film that moves away from the usual portrayal of young, physically powerful superheroes. Instead, the story focuses on ageing, self-worth and the desire to remain useful and appreciated. After its theatrical release earlier this year, the film is set to have its world digital premiere on KidZ on ZEE5 on August 21, 2026. In a conversation with Filmfare, Director Manish Saini revealed that the idea for the film came from a simple question about what a superhero's life could look like after youth. Rather than creating another character known for extraordinary strength, powers or a larger-than-life physique, Saini wanted to explore the emotional experiences that come with growing older. The idea for The Great Grand Superhero was always about thinking of a different kind of superhero. We have already seen young superheroes - they are young, powerful, have great physiques and can fly. I kept wondering, this has already been done, what else can we do with the idea of a superhero, he said. The filmmaker then imagined an ageing and retired grandfather who was actually a superhero. The arrival of a child became central to the story, as children naturally look up to superheroes and could bring a fresh perspective to the grandfather's life. He stated, Then one day, an idea struck me. After a certain age, we start surrendering to the idea that we have grown old, that our time is over and there is nothing left for us to do. So I thought, what if there was a grandfather who had grown old and had retired but was actually a superhero? Then came the child. Children are naturally fascinated by superheroes, so I thought about what the conversation would be between a grandfather who may or may not actually be a superhero and a child who believes in him. Saini said the story also deals with the human need for recognition and appreciation. After a certain age, we also start craving appreciation. Even when we are no longer able to do certain things, the hunger for appreciation and praise is always there. That became the starting point of the story. Speaking about Jackie Shroff, Saini described working with the veteran actor as an effortless experience. He said Shroff immediately showed curiosity about the project and remained actively involved throughout the shoot. Directing Jackie Sir was one of the easiest and most pleasant experiences for me. He is such an easy person to work with and, in many ways, he is like a child himself. He listens, he understands, and from the time I narrated the project to him, I could see a lot of curiosity and interest on his face. He wanted to know how he could become involved in the project and what he could do. Many times, I didn't even feel like such a big star and such a great actor was on my set, Saini says. Saini also highlighted Shroff's natural bond with the children. Although the director usually avoids workshops and rehearsals to preserve spontaneity, Shroff quickly became comfortable around the young actors. Generally, I don't do workshops or rehearsals for my projects because I like the characters to retain their crispness and surprise. With too many rehearsals, that surprise can sometimes disappear. But Jackie Sir became very comfortable with the children very quickly, he understood everything beautifully. Even when he didn't have a dialogue or wasn't in a particular scene, he would sit at the monitor or stay on set and watch what was happening. He was genuinely involved in the process. So working with him was a really great experience. Also Read : The Great Grand Superhero to premiere on KidZ on Zee 5 on August 21