Veteran actor Asrani, who entertained generations with his comic timing but was equally at ease in a wide gamut of roles that straddled films as diverse as Sholay, Abhimaan, Mere Apne, Bawarchi, Guddi and Parichay, passed away in a hospital here on Monday, his manager said. He was 84.
A veteran of over 350 films in a career spanning five decades, Govardhan Asrani, known popularly by the mononym Asrani, cemented his place in the hearts of the audiences through his portrayal of the eccentric jailer in Sholay. His dialogue, “Hum angrezon ke zamane ke jailor hai” in Sholay has achieved a cult status since. The character was modelled on Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator.
The end came on Monday afternoon, four days after he was admitted to Bharatiya Arogya Nidhi Hospital in suburban Juhu.
“He was a bit unwell. He was admitted following breathing issues. He passed away today at 3pm. We were told by the doctors that water had accumulated in his lungs,” Asrani’s manager Babubhai Thiba told PTI.
Asrani had largely played character roles in Hindi films and the lead in some Gujarati movies.
Hours before his death, Asrani’s Instagram handle had uploaded Diwali greetings from the actor.
His last rites were held on Monday evening at the Santacruz crematorium in the presence of family and close friends.
“We did not inform anyone about his demise as it was his wish that we should keep it a private thing,” Thiba added.
Asrani is survived by his wife.
Asrani was born into a middle-class, Sindhi Hindu family in Jaipur. His father owned a carpet shop. Along with his studies, Asrani worked as a voice artist at All India Radio, Jaipur, to pay for his education.
In 1964 Asrani joined the Film Institute in Pune and finished his course in 1966. He got his first break in Hindi films playing the friend of actor Biswajeet in the film Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyan in 1967.
After a lull, director Hrishikesh Mukherjee, to whom Asrani was close, gave him the role of supporting actor in Satyakam in 1969. Many of Asrani’s best performaces came in Mukherjee’s films.
Asrani was also a close friend of superstar Rajesh Khanna, starring in around 25 films with him, including Bawarchi in 1972.