Is Jackie Shroff joining cast of Mission Impossible: Fallout?

Bollywood star spotted with Tom Cruise at 'private event' at Skydive Dubai

Is Jackie Shroff - pictured here, right, in Brothers - going to make an appearance in the next Mission Impossible film? Courtesy: Empire International Gulf and Fox Star India

Could Jackie Shroff be the latest addition to the Mission Impossible: Fallout cast? Bollywood star Shroff, a UAE regular who is currently in town ahead of the Saaho shoot, which is expected to begin in Abu Dhabi imminently, and is also due to open the Concept Big Brand Carnival 'mega sale' at Dubai World Trade Centre this Wednesday, March 28, was spotted hanging out with the Mission Impossible star and producer Tom Cruise at a closed-to-the-public Skydive Dubai Desert Campus dropzone on Sunday.

Skydive Dubai informed customers of the ad hoc closure via a message on their website, which simply read: “Skydive Dubai Desert Campus dropzone will be closing to the public Sunday, March 25, for a private event, starting at 11 am… We apologise for the last minute notification and for any inconveniences caused.”

Cruise himself has been in the UAE to shoot scenes for Mission Impossible: Fallout, including a number of daring skydiving scenes over the Abu Dhabi desert, which the star and his director Christopher McQuarrie have used to tease fans on social media over the last couple of weeks.

It is not currently clear whether the pair's Skydive Dubai session was a part of a shoot – so far those who witnessed the pair enjoying their solitude in the usually packed tourist attraction haven't reported any film crews present, and all the confirmed Mission Impossible shoots so far have taken place in Abu Dhabi rather than Dubai, with twofour54 Abu Dhabi providing local production services.

Sources close to the production also suggest that Cruise has already taken his final dive for movie purposes, so perhaps the actor has simply caught the skydiving bug following his Mission Impossible stunts, and took advantage of a little downtime to have another go?

However, if Shroff is appearing, it wouldn't be the first time Cruise and co. have taken advantage of the UAE's popularity with Bollywood's stars to make seemingly impromptu casting decisions while they shoot here. Back in 2011, Anil Kapoor took on a cameo in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol while the crew were filming in Dubai, and Shroff himself has made no secret of his desire to star in a Western film.

In 2014 he told Indian media: "Language has never been an issue. Three years ago, I did a Tamil film, Aaranya Kadam, in which I played a ganglord. The film got two National Awards for Best Editing and Best First Film of a Director. It would be interesting to do an English film now."

Shroff isn't currently listed on any of the cast lists available for Mission Impossible, but that's not uncommon with celebrity cameos. We may just have to wait until the film releases in July to know for sure.

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Read more:

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