Talking about motivation for being part of the industry for 40 years, Jaaved said: “Khwaahishen toh baadshaon ki bhi puri nahi hoti, aur zarooraten toh fakeeron ki bhi puri ho jaati hain. (Don’t make your desires greater than your needs. Even kings’ desires remain unfulfilled, while the needs of the poorest are often met).”

He added: “If you strike a balance between the two, you can achieve everything. I’m grateful when people acknowledge my efforts. I’ve always been content knowing I gave my 100 percent. If things don’t work out, it’s either your fault or it simply wasn’t meant for you.”

Jaaved cited examples of late star Irrfan Khan and Bollywood’s “Badshah” Shah Rukh Khan.

The actor said: “Look at Irrfan Khan—he made his mark in Hollywood and succeeded. He decided to do his work diligently instead of chasing to be someone great like Shah Rukh Khan. Not everyone can be like SRK and that's the reality.

“You just need to be honest with your work, and if it doesn’t work given you give your best, maybe it wasn’t meant to be.”

The actor’s latest offering is “The Magic of Shiri” which is streaming on JioCinema Premium. The show, which also stars Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya, is directed by Birsa Dasgupta. The actress had said that it is a story of every woman finding her way in a world that doesn’t always make space for her.

The slice-of-life drama that beautifully portrays the journey of a woman pursuing her dreams in the enchanting world of magic. Divyanka and Jaaved are joined by Namit Das, and Parmeet Sethi, the ten-episodic series captures life’s small joys, challenges, and the magic found in everyday resilience.