Veteran actor Govardhan Asrani, fondly known as Asrani, died on Monday at the age of 84 after a prolonged illness. He had been hospitalized for the past five days due to age-related ailments.
His last rites were performed at Santacruz Crematorium.
“Asrani sahab was admitted to Bharatiya Arogya Nidhi Hospital in Juhu four days ago. From what the doctors told us, there was fluid (water) accumulation in his lungs. He died today, October 20, around 3:30 pm. The last rites have already been completed,” Asrani’s personal assistant, Babubhai, said.
Asrani was born on January 1, 1940, in Jaipur, into a middle-class Sindhi family. His father ran a carpet shop, but Asrani showed no interest in the family business. He completed his early education at St. Xavier’s School and later graduated from Rajasthan College, Jaipur. To support his studies, he worked as a voice artist at All India Radio in Jaipur.
From 1960 to 1962, Asrani learnt acting from Sahitya Kalbhai Thakkar, and later joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, in 1964.
He made his acting debut in Bollywood with the 1967 film ‘Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyan’, playing the friend of actor Biswajeet. During this time, he also starred in several Gujarati films as a lead actor.
Asrani’s contribution to comic acting has been immense. Over the decades, he has delivered numerous memorable performances, earning a cherished place in the hearts of Hindi cinema audiences.
His most notable contribution lies in his work as a comedic and supporting actor — roles that often formed the backbone of many iconic Hindi films.
The 1970s marked his peak, where he became one of the most bankable character actors, appearing in iconic movies such as ‘Mere Apne’, ‘Koshish’, ‘Bawarchi’, ‘Parichay’, ‘Abhimaan’, ‘Chupke Chupke’, ‘Chhoti Si Baat’, ‘Rafoo Chakkar’.
However, the veteran’s most iconic role remains the jailer in Ramesh Sippy’s action-drama ‘Sholay’.
After 2000, Asrani carved a niche in Priyadarshan’s comedy films, doing memorable roles in films such as Hera Pheri, Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa, Baghban, Chup Chup Ke, Garam Masala, Bol Bachchan, and many more. Asrani was also a part of the 2023 comedy ‘Dream Girl 2’.
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With a career spanning over five decades, Asrani’s contributions as an actor and director have left a prominent mark on Hindi cinema.
The film industry and his fans are deeply saddened by the news of his demise.
