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On October 20 an actor who was known for his timeless humor and memorable banter died at the age of 84 leaving Bollywood without one of its greatest comedy heroes. With 350 films over the course of a career spanning more than 50 years Asranis contribution to Hindi cinema is still unparalleled. His well-known quotes from Sholay Hum Angrezon ke zamane ke jailer hain! and Haye main toh mar gaya! are still echoed in popular culture today. Yes we are talking about Govardhan Asrani. However Asrani had a protracted period of rejection before her notoriety and praise. He wandered the Mumbai studios with his credential in hand having graduated with a professional acting degree from FTII Pune only to be turned away. Why wasnt Asranis FTII training taken seriously? I used to walk around with my FTII certificate and people would mock me Asrani previously revealed in an interview. You need a certificate to act? they would ask. Get out of here! The big stars didnt study acting. Dejected and without a job for almost two years Asrani went back to Jaipur his hometown. Despite his parents wishes he continued to pursue his passion of working at the familys carpet company. Even if luck wasnt on his side just yet he was determined to succeed when he returned to FTII. When Asranis fate was altered by Indira Gandhi When Indira Gandhi Indias then-Minister of Information and Broadcasting visited FTII Asranis life took a significant turn. Asrani grumbled to her about not finding employment despite their training as did other struggling grads. We told Indira ji that no one gives us work even after earning a certificate Asrani said at the time. After she visited Mumbai she instructed producers to begin employing actors with training. Things started to alter at that point. Jaya Bhaduri was cast in Guddi shortly after and Asrani also got his big break in the same movie. For Asrani and FTII grads who were at last acknowledged in the field Guddis triumph signaled the beginning of a new era. Guddi to Sholay: A star was created Asrani became a mainstay in Bollywood comedies after Guddi. He then starred in several popular movies such as Roti Aaj Ka MLA Ram Avtar Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar and Chupke Chupke. However he became iconic due to his portrayal of the eccentric jailer in Ramesh Sippys classic Sholay from 1975. His exaggerated British accent and amusing facial expressions made his character Kangaal iconic. Mera naam hai Santosh lekin log mujhe Kangaal kehte hain is still one of the most beloved lines in Indian cinema. Asrani continued to work on movies at the age of 84 most recently filming alongside Akshay Kumar a week before his health deteriorated. Lung issues caused him to pass away but his legacy will always provide joy to India. His final appearances will be in Haiwan and Bhoot Bangla two future Priyadarshan flicks. Although Asranis departure signifies the end of an era generations of moviegoers will continue to giggle at his jokes. Highlights: Govardhan Asrani passed away at 84 after a legendary 50-year career. Indira Gandhi helped him get his first break after two years of struggle. His Sholay jailer role remains one of Bollywood’s most iconic comic performances.
