Bollywood’s go-to man for lovable old man roles A. K. Hangal died on Sunday morning in Mumbai following a prolonged illness. The veteran actor, who made his mark with films such as Sholay, Namak Haram and Shaukeen, was 97.

His health deteriorated after he fractured his thigh bone earlier this month and was admitted Mumbai’s Asha Parekh hospital for treatment.

The character actor, whose career spanned five decades, is survived by his son Vijay, a retired photographer.

“He died following lung and kidney failure after he suffered a hip fracture,” the actor’s physician Koulsoum Hussain said. He was cremated on Sunday.

Best known for his one-liner Itna sannaata kyun hai bhai (why so much silence is there) from the blockbuster Sholay, Hangal entered Bollywood when he was well past his 40s and went on to act in over 220 films. He was also noted for his work in Lagaan, the old villager who croons Kale Megha Kale Megha Pani To Barsao in Aamir Khan-starrer Lagaan.

The actor, who was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to Hindi cinema in 2006, may not have played a hero but he supported his leading men with conviction. Be it the benevolent uncle, the domestic help or a wise man with principles, Hangal did not fail to deliver. He was also a part of many films starring the late superstar Rajesh Khanna, including Aap Ki Kasam and Thodisi Bewafai. The 1982 comedy,Shaukeen, directed by Basu Bhattacharya is billed as one of his best roles. He played an old man who heads for a fun trip with his buddies to Goa.

As a young man, Hangal was also involved in India’s freedom movement against British rule and spent three years in prison. He was active in Mumbai’s theatre circles in the early 1950s before his Bollywood breakthrough in Shagird and Teesri Kasam in 1967.

However, Hangal, who was born in a Kashmiri Pandit family in Pakistan and moved to Mumbai to pursue his dreams, did not lead an easy retirement. With severe financial problems, he hit headlines last year when his family appealed to his film fraternity for help. Several Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan and film associations stepped up to help him foot his medical bills.

He was last seen playing a minor role in the television serial Madhubala, a tale about an girl thrust into the world of showbiz. According to reports, Hangal was wheelchair bound and was facing the camera after a gap of seven years but he did not let it stand in the way of a delivering a good performance.

“He comes on a wheelchair and is very excited and eager to know his lines. We don’t have narrate too many scenes and lines since we don’t want to exhaust him. But he feels at ease when on the sets,” said Prashaant Bhatt, concept head of Madhubala to Hindustan Times.

Upon hearing about his death, several stars took to twitter to express their condolence. Veteran actress Shabana Azmi said an era has come to an end with her tweet: “Ak Hangal no more. Funeral at 1pm near Pavan Hans opp Nanavati hospital. An era comes to an end. Theatre and film were enriched by him.” Meanwhile, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur tweeted: “AK Hangal. Lifetime dedicated 2 d art of acting in theatre. Will always b remembered by his films.”