Disha Patani calls Jackie Chan 'Santa Claus', Sonu Sood says Kung Fu Yoga is tribute to late father

Superstar Jackie Chan is in Mumbai and held a press conference for his upcoming Sino-Indian co-production Kung Fu Yoga. Chan was joined by co-producer and actor Sonu Sood, director Stanley Tong, Indian actresses Disha Patani, Amyra Dastur and fellow Chinese actress Miya Muqi. 

Jackie Chan done with action, dreams of being in an Indian film

With Chan taking centre stage, it was impossible for the ladies to get attention. Truth be told both Patani and Dastur were too were humbled by the sheer joy of working with Chan. 

"It's not just the action, but there's so much to learn from Jackie sir. One of the things that struck about him is how he doesn't waste food. He's someone who really cares about his environment. He's a Santa Claus on the sets. He gets cookies, chocolate for us. All of us have learnt a lot being with him," said Patani.

It was an emotional moment for Chan's co-star Sonu Sood as he recalled how he would have loved to see the film with his late father. 

"I remember when I first got a call to act and produce a film which has Jackie Chan in the lead, I couldn’t believe it. I told my dad about the same and he said, 'You the mean THE JACKIE CHAN. Are you sure it’s him?' I'd vowed to take my dad to watch the film once it releases. Unfortunately, he passed away a few months back. So, this film is my tribute to him," said Sood. 

Chan hasn't quite got his due in Hollywood, with the actor only becoming the first Chinese actor to win an Oscar after 56 years of work. Chan had first seen the trophy at Sylvester Stallone’s house when he was 23. Back then, he aspired to have one, but after 56 years and over 200 films, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave an honorary statuette to Chan for his 56 years of work in cinema.

When asked how he looks back at his career and the long due Oscar, Chan said, "When I was first making films, I never got an award. They (critics) would label me as a cheap action comedy star. My answer to them would be that I fought for my audience." Chan's comment met a thundering applause from the audience. 

"It took me 56 years for me to get an Oscar, but all these years I never changed. It doesn’t matter who you are, but you keep persisting and continue to work hard at what you are good at. Eventually, you work so hard that the Oscar comes to you. I never went for the Oscar," he said.

Chan was of the view that like China, Indian cinema, namely Bollywood, too, hasn’t been taken seriously by the West. The 62-year-old feels times have changed. 

"Today we have money. We have technology. Together, we have a population of over 4 billion. We can only get better. We need to show our culture through our films," said the superstar.