JACKIE CHAN – REAL MAN IN REEL
Most of the finger-biting climax dare devil fights and risky scenes in movies are performed either by the dummy actors, or they are graphically produced, so as not to risk the lives of the hero.
But Jackie Chan, better known as ‘world-wide phenomenon,’ is an exemption to this unwritten practice. He is never known to have asked for a dummy actor to substitute him in the most dangerous risky scenes.
He was born in Hong Kong in 1954. He belonged to a poor family. At seven years of age, he was put in the China Drama Academy where he underwent brutal training regiment, so that he could become an opera performer there. But Chan had another idea!
He returned to Hong Kong and joined the movie world as a mere stunt man. His speed, which no eyes could follow, and impressive fights earned him widespread accolade from around the world, again, to elevate him as a super hero in Asia!
Now this 58 years ‘youth’ is still craving for action packed movies! Rush Hour, Around The World in 80 Days, Police Story and Armour of God are some of his successful movies. However, the other side of Chan is amazingly different!
When celebrating his birthdays, he made it a point to give to charities and not to accept. When he was planning to start the Jackie Chan Foundation, he had a fall from the top of a tree in a film shooting in Yugoslavia and nearly died! But after a few months he bounced back to normality!
China wanted Chan to be their Olympic Ambassador; Hong Kong offered him the tourist Ambassador; Taiwan asked him to be their police Ambassador and Singapore as their Anti-smoking Ambassador. He agreed to the last request for the noble cause of serving the society. From that day he stopped smoking, too!
He had done charity work in many American cities. He was roped in as UN’s Good will Ambassador by UNICEF. In Cambodia, he met the AIDS/HIV affected children and motivated them to lead a peaceful life upon getting cured.
Thus, his personal side is heart-touching than professional side!