Bella Jaisinghani (THE TIMES OF INDIA; July 9, 2020)

Mumbai: Veteran film comedian Jagdeep, best remembered as Soorma Bhopali of ‘Sholay’, passed away aged 81 on Wednesday.

The signature style of rolling his eyes, and speaking Hindi with a Bhopali dialect was his hallmark. Jagdeep featured in nearly 400 films over six decades, beginning with B R Chopra’s ‘Afsana’ (1951).

Born Syed Ishtiyaq Ahmed Jafri, the tenacious struggler made an early appearance as a streetsmart vagrant. From a child actor in Bimal Roy’s ‘Do Bigha Zamin’ and Guru Dutt’s ‘Aar Paar’, he became a teen artist and achieved success with ‘Bhabhi’ and ‘Patang’. Occasionally between the torn, patched trousers in Kabhi aar kabhi paar, and the lighthearted 'Chali chali re patang', there was the odd romantic song 'Paas baitho tabiyat behel jayegi' (Punar Milan).

He named his directorial venture ‘Soorma Bhopali’ after his famous act as the braggart coward. He is survived by sons Jaaved Jaaferi and Naved Jafri among other children.

Condolences poured in on Twitter. “We will miss you,” tweeted actor Johny Lever. The last rites will be on Thursday at Mazgaon Nariyalwadi Qabrastan where his mother was laid to rest.