Mumbai

Bollywood has lost one of its comedy legends, Asrani, the man who made generations laugh. Govardhan Asrani, fondly known as Asrani, passed away on Monday at the age of 84. A fixture of Hindi cinema for more than five decades, Asrani has surely left behind an irreplaceable legacy built on laughter, and impeccable comic timing.

His manager, Babu Bhai Theeba, confirmed the news to ANI, saying the veteran actor breathed his last at 3 PM at Arogya Nidhi Hospital in Juhu. His cremation took place at 8 PM the same evening at the Santacruz crematorium through electric cremation.

Born on January 1, 1940, in Jaipur, Asrani grew up in a middle-class Sindhi family. His father ran a carpet business, but young Govardhan had little interest in trade. Instead, he found his calling in the performing arts. He completed his schooling at St. Xavier's School and later graduated from Rajasthan College, all while supporting himself by working as a voice artist in Jaipur.

It was during his college years that Asrani's fascination with acting began to take shape. From 1960 to 1962, he trained under 'Sahitya Kalbhai Thakkar' before joining the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune in 1964, a decision that would soon shape the course of his life.

Asrani made his debut in 1967 with 'Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyan,' where he played the friend of actor Biswajeet. He went on to appear in several Gujarati films as a lead actor before finding his footing in Hindi cinema.

What followed was a career that few in Bollywood history can match; over 350 films spanning genres, generations, and eras. While he could play serious and supporting roles with equal ease, it was his comic flair that made him a fan favorite.

From the 1970s through the 1990s, Asrani was a familiar face on the big screen, the kind of actor who could make even a small scene hold weight. His collaboration with Rajesh Khanna remains one of the most successful in Bollywood, with the two appearing together in over 25 films between 1972 and 1991.

Among his many memorable performances are those in 'Chupke Chupke,' 'Chhoti Si Baat,' 'Rafoo Chakkar,' 'Bawarchi,' 'Koshish,' and'Mere Apne,' films that remain as delightful to watch today as when they were first released.

But if one role immortalized Asrani forever, it was his portrayal of the eccentric jail warden in Ramesh Sippy's 1975 classic 'Sholay.' With his rolling eyes, military hat, and exaggerated English, Asrani's "Hum angrezon ke zamaane ke jailer hain!" became a line that outlived the movie itself, repeated in classrooms and theatre halls, and still lives on in rooms for generations.

Even with such a vast body of work, Asrani was never content to stay in one lane. He wrote, directed, and acted in the 1977 film 'Chala Murari Hero Banne,' which won him critical praise for its humour and heart. He later directed 'Salaam Memsaab' (1979) and remained active in Gujarati cinema, where he was equally adored by audiences.

Through the decades, Asrani remained a constant as he transitioned from the Golden Age of Hindi cinema into the new millennium. In the 2000s, he found renewed popularity among younger audiences with roles in 'Hera Pheri,' 'Bhagam Bhag,' 'Dhamaal,' 'Welcome,' and'Bhool Bhulaiyaa,' proving yet again that his comic timing remained as sharp as ever.

Asrani's work earned him numerous honours, including two Filmfare Awards for Best Comedian, but perhaps his greatest achievement was his ability to make audiences laugh without malice, something few actors could do so naturally.

He is survived by his wife, Manju Asrani, his sister, and nephew. The couple had no children.

For many, his passing marks the end of an era, a time when humour in Bollywood was rooted in innocence and timing rather than slapstick. Asrani represented a generation of actors who bridged art and entertainment effortlessly, leaving behind characters that are remembered by 

Condoling the death of the actor on Monday at the age of 84, the "Sholay" director Ramesh Sippy said Asrani seemed "absolutely fine" when they recently met.

"It (demise) feels sudden... He did a lot of work but this, stands out. I will long long remember him. It's a role he was born to play. But saying all this on a day like this doesn’t feel good. It feels maybe that’s the best way to remember him,” Sippy told PTI in an interview.

Asrani's character in the movie, which turned 50 this August, was modelled after Charlie Chaplin in “The Great Dictator”. "Sholay" was penned by writer duo Salim Khan and Javed Akthar.

Sippy said he first worked with Asrani in "Seeta Aur Geeta" and he was impressed with the way the actor performed his scene.

"Then ‘Sholay’ came up and this part was written by Salim-Javed and they discussed it with me. We all thought Asrani would be the right person. We called him, discussed it with him. He was very happy to come and do this role. He was part of the creation of that character,” Sippy recalled.

The filmmaker praised Asrani for playing the character of the jailor in the most “natural” way.

“He played it naturally; it was like he was born to play the role. Hitler is the most popular person, about whom books are written, stories have been told, the whole world’s attention was on him because of the way he conducted himself, the killings that took place.

"But a comic look at it (Hitler) was (great idea)... He worked so well that people till today remember it. This character will never be forgotten,” the 78-year-old director said.

Sippy said the character was beautifully written by Salim-Javed and he and Asrani managed to strike the perfect note during the shoot.

“Salim-Javed had a way with words and this became a catch line, and it got caught on very well because of the caricature that he was. Hitler is a German character but instead of ‘Angreezo ke’, you can’t say ‘German’. We didn’t know how many people will understand it. It was improvised and the shape in which it came out seemed to be the right form,” he said.

ALSO READ: Diwali lights have a universal appeal, and symbolism

“The way the four of us managed to bring out the character, then actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra ji in it, all together, it made the whole sequence unforgettable. The character is loud because the comedy is loud,” he added.