Veteran actor Jagdeep passes away at 81

Veteran Bollywood actor and comedian Jagdeep is no more. He breathed his last on Thursday in Mumbai, following age-related health issues. He was 81.

"He passed away at 8.30 pm at his residence in Bandra. He was not keeping well due to age-related issues," producer Mehmood Ali, a close family friend, told a newswire.

In a career spanning over six decades, Jagdeep acted in over 400 movies. He was counted among the most popular comedians in the 1970s and 1980s. Soorma Bhopali from Ramesh Sippy’s cult film Sholay (1975) remains one of his most popular characters to date. He is also remembered for his brilliant performance in cult comedy film Andaz Apna Apna (1994), wherein he played Salman Khan’s father Bankelal.

Mourning the death of Jagdeep, superstar Ajay Devgn wrote on his Twitter handle, “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.”

Remembering the great actor and comedian, filmmaker Hansal Mehta wrote, “Condolences Jaaved Jaaferi and to the entire family. He will always be cherished and remembered with a broad smile. I hope people get to see a film called Muskurahat (1992) by Priyadarshan sir to witness his brilliance. It is one of my favourite Jagdeep Saahab performances.”