"Rajiniji's daughter Soundarya is directing the film with her dad in the lead. So sweet! She asked me to make a cameo appearance in the film with her father. I immediately flew down to Chennai. When it comes to anything to do with Rajinikanth, one doesn't ask questions. One just does the needful," said Jackie.
"It's an interesting cameo which Soundarya insisted only I could play. I believe the film is in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. But even if it was in Swahili, I'd run and do it for Rajinikanth," added the actor who turned 52 Wednesday.
He had to rush to Chennai for the shoot and said: "My birthday is generally a very quiet affair. As always my rakhi-sister Anna Singh came home. Then we went to Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza's sangeet. That's where I brought in my birthday. I flew into Chennai for Rajiniji's film early next morning. I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday."
Getting a little philosophical, Jackie said: "Honestly a birthday is no big deal. I am just beginning to understand life. My first 40 years went into growing up. Now I am finally getting to know what this whole business of living is all about."
Jackie and Rajini go back a long way.
"He was one of the few people at my wedding with Ayesha when we got married in 1989. Rajiniji and I were shooting for Subhash Ghai's "Uttar Dakshin", in which he played my younger stepbrother. It was so much fun. I was the North Indian, he was my South Indian brother.
"During the lunch break Ayesha and I decided to get married. Just the two of us and those close to us. There was Rajiniji, Subhash Ghai, Dimple Kapadia, Anupam Kher and a few of my other friends, that's it. So you see, I've very fond memories of Rajnikanth and would never say no to anything to do with him or his family," said the actor.