Veteran Bollywood actor Govardhan Asrani died Monday after a lengthy illness. He was 84.
Best known as “Asrani,” the Indian superstar left an indelible mark on Hindi cinema with a career that spanned more than five decades.
Asrani’s manager, Babu Bhai Thiba, confirmed the news of his passing to the Times of India and revealed the star’s final moments.
“He was not feeling well and was admitted to Arogya Hospital four days ago due to breathing issues,” he shared in a statement.
“He passed away at around 3 p.m. today,” Thiba said, adding that Asrani’s last rites were performed a few hours later.
“The family is back home now… very said,” the manager added.
Asrani’s family also shared a statement on his Instagram page .
“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 translated post read.
“The indelible mark he left through his performances will remain eternal. May God grant peace to his soul. Om Shanti.”
Even while battling, the actor took to social media to wish fans a Happy Diwali on his Instagram stories, in what would be his final post.
Asrani was born on Jan. 1, 1940, in Jaipur, into a middle-class Sindhi family.
He did not want to work in his family’s carpet store and eventually worked as a voice artist to support his studies before moving onto acting in the early ‘60s.
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Asrani made his acting debut in Bollywood with the 1967 film Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyan , and then starred in several Gujarati films.
He co-starred with close pal Rajesh Khanna in more than 20 films, including Bawarchi in 1972.
Decades later, he would carve out a career in comedy, where he took on memorable roles in projects including Bodyguard , Sholay , Chala Murari Hero Banne and Bol Bachchan .
Asrani, who also directed six films, has 10 projects in the works, according to his IMDb page , with some in post-production, some completed and some still filming.
The actor is survived by his wife, actress Manju Asrani — who he first met in 1973 on the sets of Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar and Namak Haram — and their son, Naveen Asrani.
