JUNE 19- At 59, Hong Kong superstar Jackie Chan’s ambition is cut out.
“I want to be the Robert De Niro of Asia,” he declares with the enthusiasm of a budding actor.” I used to enjoy action. Now I enjoy acting. Action stars have a shelf life.
“Actors go on till 70 or 80. I want people to say Jackie is a good actor who can also do action,” says Chan, on the sidelights of the five-day Chinese Film Festival which he inaugurated on Tuesday at Siri Fort Auditorium in the Capital.
On a lighter note, he reveals Bollywood desires. “I hope Indian directors give me good roles and don’t just ask me to fight (on screen). Also, I can sing and dance. Tell your producers that,” he says.
For now though, Chan has no illusions about what defines him as an icon. “I just make my Jackie Chan film. I don’t know politics and don’t know special effects. I want to do a love story but I don’t know how to make it. I just know the Jackie Chan style,” he says.
Tell him the Jackie Chan style usually means playing it safe with his image- he has never played the bad guy- and he has his line clear. “After I became famous I realised children look up to me as a role model. I have to be careful with what I portray. As artistes we have a responsibility.” That, perhaps, is the reason he loves playing the cop. “The policeman is my favourite role. I can do anything as a cop and get away with it. But I always look for change. That is why I did a film like 1911. It was my way saying I am an actor too,” he says.
Multitasker Chan is an actor, director, producer, writer, action choreographer, martial artiste and singer. He tells you he manages to juggle so many hats because he hardly takes holidays.
Mention Bollywood and he says he loves 3 Idiots besides the Bollywood song-dance routine.
“I think Indian films have the best choreography in the world. So many good Bollywood entertainers were never really introduced to the world. I feel not enough global promotion is done for your films,” he says.
Incidentally, his memoir, I Am Jackie Chan: My Life In Action, is being converted into a musical.
“The musical will have no dialogues, so it is universal. We will definitely release it in India.” He parts with a peace message.
“India and China have been neighbours for thousands of years, so why not be friends? Let’s sing a song together at the border and end all the tension,” he signs off.
INDIA TODAY
