Besides being famous for his acting dexterity, Bollywood star Jackie Shroff is also well-known for his chaste 'Mumbaia lingo' and generosity and magnanimity in the sparkling and glittering world of the Hindi film industry.

But he would have been a non-starter in covering such a long distance against the blinding glare in the dog eat dog world of tinseltown had it not been for two women in his life.

If it was his mother who instilled moral values in him and made him a down-to-earth and grounded person that he is today, then it was none other than first girlfriend who steered him to pursue a career in the make-believe world.

Talking after the screening of his latest release 'Bhoot Unkle', in which he plays the title role, Jackie said, " I never thought I would ever give the acting career a shot. It was my first girlfriend who egged me on to try my hand at acting in Hindi films. Had it not been for her, I would have led the life and existence of a hippie."

Jackie said he never thought he had the face and personality fit enough to become a star in filmdom. But, destiny willed otherwise and he landed a role in yesteryear superstar Dev Anand's 'Swami Dada' after which he never looked back, he averred.

On his fabulous equation and a good rapport with celebrated director Subash Ghai, Jackie said," He is like family and I hold him in very high esteem. We get along like nobody's business because we both are Aquarians."

He said his wife Ayesha and son Tiger more often than not watch the flicks featuring him and he wanted "his cub" to carve out a niche for himself in the film industry because in this profession fame and money was "instant", provided a film background was there.

'Bhoot Unkle' and 'Mera Dil Leke Dekho', starring Jaggu Dada as Jackie is known in the film circles, released countrywide on October 6.

Did he regret that while his peers Anil Kapoor and Sunny Deol still get to portray roles of hero, he had been pushed into the background of enacting roles of seniors? Jackie said it was all part of game in which "you lose some and you win some".

Jackie also said in the near future he would like to churn out some ventures for children under the banner of his own production house.