Mumbai: The film industry woke up to sad news Monday evening. Asrani, the beloved comedy actor who’s been making audiences laugh since the 1960s, died at 84.
Akshay Kumar, who worked with him across multiple films, posted an emotional message on X that’s got everyone talking.
‘Bahot Pyare Insaan The’
Kumar’s tribute hit different. Why? Because he’d literally met Asrani just seven days ago. They were shooting for their upcoming film Haiwaan.
“Speechless with grief at the passing of Asrani ji,” Kumar wrote on his X handle. “We had just shared the warmest of hugs just a week back at the shoot of Haiwaan. Bahot pyare insaan the…he had the most legendary comic timing.”
The actor didn’t stop there. He went on to list every single project they’d done together—and it’s quite a list. Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhag, De Dana Dan, Welcome. Plus two films that haven’t even released yet: Bhoot Bangla and Haiwaan.
“I had worked and learned so much from him,” Kumar added. “What an absolute loss to our industry. God bless you Asrani Sir, for giving us a million reasons to laugh. Om Shanti.”
What Led to His Death?
Pinkvilla reports that Asrani spent his last four days in a Juhu hospital. Doctors found fluid accumulation in his lungs. His nephew Ashok confirmed the death to media outlets.
Friends say he’d been dealing with health issues for a while now. Age catches up with everyone eventually.
There’s something else worth mentioning. Asrani apparently didn’t want any big fuss after his death. So his family kept things quiet and simple. Monday afternoon, they held his last rites at Santacruz Crematorium. Just close family members attended. Word is they might organize a prayer meeting later for colleagues and fans.
The Man Who Made Sholay Funnier
Here’s a question: Can you imagine Sholay without that nervous jailer? The one who says “Hum Angrezon ke zamaane ke jailer hain”?
That was Asrani. And that one role—barely ten minutes of screen time—made him a household name back in 1975.
But reducing his career to just Sholay would be unfair. The man appeared in over 350 films. Let that sink in. Three hundred and fifty.
He was born in Jaipur on the first day of 1941. After studying at Pune’s Film Institute, he entered Bollywood during the mid-60s. The 70s and 80s? Those were his golden years. Some reports say he did a hundred films each decade during that period. Wild.
His partnership with Rajesh Khanna produced 25 movies. That’s not just work—that’s trust between actors.
The Filmfare Awards committee recognized him twice. First for Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar in ’74, then Balika Badhu in ’77. Both times for Best Comedian.
Think about films like Chupke Chupke. Or Bawarchi. Chhoti Si Baat. Rafoo Chakkar. Then jump ahead decades—Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Dhamaal, the entire Hera Pheri franchise. Different eras, same Asrani magic.
He wasn’t just a Hindi film guy either. Gujarati cinema saw him as a leading man through the 70s and early 80s. Later he switched to character roles there too.
Others Remember Him
Shikhar Dhawan, the cricketer, also posted about Asrani’s death. He talked about growing up watching his films, calling him a “true icon” whose work defined an era.
That’s the thing about actors like Asrani. They don’t just entertain one generation. Kids who watched him in the 70s showed his films to their kids in the 90s, who then showed them to their kids in the 2010s. That’s legacy.
Final Thoughts
Bollywood loses character actors all the time. But losing someone like Asrani? That stings. He represented something rare—consistency without compromise, comedy without vulgarity, presence without demanding the spotlight.
Kumar got it right in his post. Asrani really did give us “a million reasons to laugh.”
Now we’ve got those memories. And honestly? That’ll have to be enough.
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