[7][8] In the 2000s, Shroff took on more supporting and negative roles in Refugee, Mission Kashmir (both 2000), Devdas (2002), Hulchul (2004), Dhoom 3 (2013), Happy New Year (2014), and Sooryavanshi (2021).

His mother was a Turkmen who fled the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (present-day Kazakhstan) during a coup, according to Shroff.

[b][13][14] His maternal grandmother escaped to Ladakh, along with her seven daughters, and migrated to Delhi, finally reaching Mumbai.

It was one of his classmates in school who gave Shroff his name "Jackie" and then filmmaker Subhash Ghai stuck to this name when he launched him in the film Hero.

He tried his hand working as an apprentice chef at Taj Hotels and as a flight attendant at Air India, but he was rejected from both places because of his lack of qualifications.

[18] He then started working as a travel agent in a local company called Trade Wings near Jehangir Art Gallery.

[20] In 1983, Subhash Ghai cast Shroff in the lead role for the action romance Hero, paired with Meenakshi Sheshadri.

Later films, such as Dahleez (1986) and Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá (1989) were critically acclaimed, but failed at the box office.

In the 1990s, he starred in successful films such as Saudagar (1991), Angaar (1992), Gardish (1993), Khalnayak (1993), 1942: A Love Story (1994), Rangeela (1995) Agni Sakshi (1996), Border (1997) and Shapath (1997).

[22] During this period, he received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Gardish, and nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Khalnayak, 1942: A Love Story, Rangeela and Agni Sakshi, winning for 1942: A Love Story and Rangeela.

During the 2000s, he appeared in supporting roles in Mission Kashmir (2000), which earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Villain, Yaadein (2001), Devdas (2002) and Hulchul (2004), earning two nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Yaadein and Devdas.

[25] In 2017, Shroff made his debut in Konkani, acting in the film Soul Curry, which earned him the Goa State Award for Best Actor.

[29] He is also going to star in Prasthanam, which Hindi remake of Telugu film with same name alongside Ali Fazal and Sanjay Dutt.

[34] Shroff married his longtime girlfriend Ayesha Dutt, a model who later became a film producer, on 5 June 1987, her birthday.

He is also the brand ambassador of Thalassemia India[40] and over the years has supported many causes like HIV/AIDS awareness and abolishment of female foeticide.

[41][42][43] On 5 March 2021, Shroff donated an ambulance to a Lonavala-based animal shelter in the memory of his late pet dog Rocky.