From 1 Lakh to 1 Crore: Here's How Jackie Shroff Became Rich With One Simple Investment

In the 1980s, Jackie Shroff wasn’t just Jaggu Dada — he was Bollywood’s certified mass hero. With back-to-back hits like Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan and Tridev, he ruled the screen in his leather jackets, scarves, and larger-than-life swag. But while the 90s saw the rise of new leading men, Jackie quietly transitioned into supporting roles. And just when everyone thought his star power had dimmed, he made one of the smartest financial moves in Bollywood history, turning a small stake into a fortune.

The year was 1994. Liberalisation had just shaken up India’s economy, and international media giants were eyeing the newly opened Indian market. While most actors were busy chasing film roles, Jackie and his wife Ayesha Shroff were chasing something bigger — cable television. The duo, along with a handful of partners, played a pivotal role in bringing Sony Entertainment Television (SET) to India.

© Instagram/Ayesha Shroff

In a chat with Zero1 Hustle’s YouTube channel, Ayesha and their daughter Krishna revealed how the Shroffs got involved in Sony’s India story.

Ayesha said, “We were setting up Sony Entertainment Television channel in India, and it was a fantastic experience, to be honest. It was my first encounter with a whole corporate structure, and that too, was Sony. We were a group of seven people; my husband brought in the fame and, obviously, his image to the group. We had a banker, a television guy, and another guy well-versed in computers, so everyone brought in a special skill to the group. It was a very diverse group, and we tried to woo the company for a whole year. That experience was very exciting, the going back and forth on the deal, the due diligence, the paperwork."

© Instagram/Ayesha Shroff

So how did they seal the deal? Not with boardroom presentations, but with a Bollywood-style party. The Shroffs hosted Sony’s global executives, and the guest list boasted the crème de la crème of the film industry.

"At 6 AM, the party finished, and the boss, who had come from all the way to LA, said, ‘F*** this, we are signing the contract with this group. We signed the papers the very next day," recalled Ayesha Shroff.

How much Did Jackie Shroff Earn From Investing in Sony India?

When quizzed about the payout, Ayesha cheekily hinted it was far beyond a 200% profit. She said, "If you apply that concept to the deal, it was like Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 100 crore back then."

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That's a whopping one million percent return on investment. By the mid-2000s, when Jackie exited his stake, he was one of the wealthiest actors in the country, like the Khans and Amitabh Bachchan. That windfall gave the Shroff family the capital to expand beyond films.

Over the years, Jackie has built a diversified portfolio spanning hospitality, sports leagues, and other ventures. Today, his net worth is estimated at around ₹400 crore.