Life in pictures: Indian comedic actor Jagdeep brought joy to many

Bollywood lost another acting legend this year. Comedian Jagdeep died in Mumbai on July 8 due to age-related complications at 81. Here’s a look at his career…

He was born as Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri — better known as Jagdeep among his fans and colleagues — in March 1939 in Madhya Pradesh and began his career as a child artist.

The self-made actor survived in Bollywood for over five decades and acted in more than 400 films. His brand of physical humour punctuated by comical facial expressions helped him build his own army of dedicated fans.

He is survived by his three children Jaaved Jaaferi, Naved Jafri (pictured) and Muskaan Jafri.

It was actor Ajay Devgn who broke the news on Twitter with the post: “Heard the sad news of Jagdeep Saab’s demise. Always enjoyed watching him on screen. He brought so much joy to the audience. My deepest condolences to Jaaved and all members of the family. Prayers for Jagdeep Saab’s soul.”

Very soon, actors including Ayushmann Khurrana, Riteish Deshmukh and comedian Johnny Lever (pictured) expressed their condolences. All of them thanked the actor for ‘enriching their lives with laughter and happiness’ “My first film & first time I ever faced the camera, was in the film #YehRishtanaToote with the legend himself #jagdeep chai. We will miss you. May his soul rest in peace,” tweeted Lever.

Jagdeep was best known for his role as the hilarious Bihari character Soorma Bhopali in Ramesh Sippy’s blockbuster ‘Sholay’ (1975). If there was one role that became synonymous with Jagdeep it was this one; every other role lost its sheen when compared to this hit character.

Another stand-out in his career was his role in Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘Andaaz Apna Apna’ (1994) in which he played Salman Khan’s father. His gags were in your face, but the humour always landed.

He is also known for his appearances in horror films made by the Ramsay Brothers such as ‘Purana Mandir’ (pictured) and ‘3D Samri’.

Jagdeep was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement In Indian Cinema prize at last year’s International Indian Film Academy Awards. “Your laughter is my life and making you laugh enriched it further,” said Jagdeep in Hindi during the acceptance speech at the ceremony held in Mumbai. His sons and daughter were also on stage. The gong was given by ‘Sholay’ director Ramesh Sippy and actor Ranveer Singh.

“Thank you for giving joy to the world and thank you for giving us the world,” said Jaaved Jaafri as a nod to his talented father.