Few actors have mastered the art of comedy in Bollywood the way Asrani did. The veteran comedian-actor-filmmaker, who passed away on Monday in Mumbai at the age of 84, knew how to weave magic on the screen with his dialogue delivery, timing and facial expressions.

In his five-decade-long career, Asrani made audiences laugh with lines that went beyond the script and made it to Bollywood folklore — and even 21st century pop culture.

As the eccentric jailer from Angrezo ka Zamana or the blind man who gets surprised at everything he ‘sees’, Asrani ruled Bollywood with his comedy skills, making scenes unforgettable. Here’s a look at five such scenes where Asrani stole the show.

‘Hum Angrezo Ke Zaamane Ke Jailer Hain’ from Sholay (1975)

Asrani’s iconic portrayal of the British-era jailer in Sholay is a masterclass in comedic acting, with his exaggerated salutes and authoritative tone. The jailer’s dominating demeanour, constantly undermined by the prisoners, creates an unforgettable experience. The scene gets even more hilarious when Asrani’s character assembles his constables to search for a weapon, asking half of them to search one side of the prison and the other half to search the other side, while he leads the rest — but there is nobody left to follow him. His “Aadhe Idhar Jaao, Aadhe Udhar Jaao, Baki Mere Peeche Aao” line still cracks up viewers.

‘Yeh Sab Kya Dekhna Padh Raha Hain, Accha Hain Ki Mein Andha Hoon’ from Deewane Huye Pagal (2005)

The 2005 Vikram Bhatt film featured Asrani as a blind man saying it’s a relief that he cannot see the horror unfolding before him. The moment, equal parts hilarious and ironic, continues to leave audiences in splits.

‘Oho Yeh Kya Confusion Hai, Samajh Mein Nahi Aa Raha’ from Khatta Meetha (2010)

Playing a harried Seth ji in Priyadarshan’s 2010 comedy, Asrani finds himself trapped in a whirlwind of chaos — from a sister’s wedding and an ailing mother to paint boxes, hospital bills, and overlapping phone calls. Overwhelmed by the barrage of conversations, he hilariously mixes up everyone’s problems, replying to one person with answers meant for another — turning confusion into pure comedy.

‘Magar Mujhe Lash Ke Liye Paisa Nahi Mila’ from De Dana Dan (2009)

In yet another gem of comic confusion, Asrani plays Mamu, an obnoxious gangster tasked with delivering a body ordered by Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty’s characters. The chaos begins when the duo claim they’ve already paid his representative, played by Johnny Lever. Johnny, in turn, claims he’s received the money but hasn’t killed the man yet. This baffles Asrani and leads to a hilarious back-and-forth of misunderstandings.

‘Yeh Aeroplane Kab Tak Chalegi Iski Gurantee Nahi Hai’ from Dhamaal (2007)

The scene unfolds as Boman (Ashish Chowdhry) and his father (Asrani) set out to find hidden treasure, only to end up in a private plane flown by a drunk pilot. Desperate for help, Boman calls customer service and reaches D.K. Malik (Vijay Raaz), an apathetic operator who offers confusing, philosophical advice — including the now-iconic line, “Wheel ke side mein red button hai? ‘Haan, haan hain button, daba diya’… nahin dabana tha!”