Film Veteran Govardhan Asrani, popularly known as Asrani, died on October 20 after suffering from prolonged illness. He was 84. His family shared a message on Instagram feed.
The post read, "Our beloved, the one who brought smiles to everyone's faces, Asrani ji is no longer among us. His passing is an irreparable loss for both Hindi cinema and our hearts. The indelible mark he left through his performances will remain eternal. May God grant peace to his soul. Om Shanti."
Akshay Kumar shared a happy picture with the film veteran and wrote, "Speechless with grief at the passing of Asraniji. We had just shared the warmest of hugs just a week back at the shoot of Haiwaan. Bohat pyare insaan the... he had the most legendary comic timing."
Akshay Kumar and Asrani worked in films like Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhag, De Dana Dan. They have collaborated in upcoming films like Bhoot Bangla and Haiwaan.
Anupam Kher also condoled his death and wrote, "Dearest #AsraniJi! Thank you for making the world a better place to be in with your persona!! On and off screen! We will miss you in physical form! But cinema and your ability to make people laugh will keep you alive for years to come! Om Shanti."
Singer-composer Adnan Sami mourned his death and wrote a long emotional message. It read, "I had the honour of working & spending time with him when I requested him to appear in my music video of 'Lift Karade' & I too wanted him to reenact his legendary 'Jailor' character for which he generously agreed. He was so committed that he made sure that every aspect of his getup was from the original makers of the Sholay Movie- i.e The Wig, Moustache & Uniform."
I am so saddened to learn about the passing of our dearest legend Asrani ji. A man who was a genius of his craft & an artistic treasure.
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) October 20, 2025
Although people will always remember him for his incredible comedy but he was a man of all seasons & styles. His dramatic roles were equally… pic.twitter.com/XTlzS5cxmG
Veteran actor Asrani will always be remembered for portraying the dictatorial jailer in "Sholay" as it was a role he was born to play, says director Ramesh Sippy.
Condoling the death of the actor on Monday at the age of 84, the "Sholay" director 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.
"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.
