Jagdeep’s 82nd birth anniversary: Revisiting some gems by the comical maestro

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Late Bollywood actor-comedian Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffrey, better known by his stage name Jagdeep, passed away in 2020 but his unforgettable charm lives on.

He was popular across generations for his paan-stained grin and mischievous eyes as Soorma Bhopali in the 1975 cult film ‘Sholay’.

Born on March 29, 1939, in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, the widely popular comedian was a child actor who started his career with the 1951 film ‘Afsana’. In his career ranging over seven decades, the star gave some memorable performances that are still etched in the viewers’ hearts.

The father of renowned comedian and dancers Javed and Naved Jaffrey was featured in more than 400 films during his lifetime. Today on the occasion of this comical maestro’s 82nd birth anniversary, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of his marvelous performances:

Muhammad Ali

In the 1980 released action-thriller ‘Qurbani’, that also starred Zeenat Aman and Vinod Khanna, Jagdeep played this character which was a spoof of boxer Muhammad Ali. His portrayal of the legendary boxer became so popular that a mock fight was arranged between the two for raising funds for a mosque, by the actor’s fans in the US.

Bankeylal Bhopali

The comedian portrayed the character of Salman Khan’s father in the cult comedy film ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, which was released in the year 1994. Though his role was brief in the movie, he was still remembered by the audience for his perfect comic timing that brought life to the character of a tailor master.

Soorma Bhopali

The comical portrayal of a small-time wood trader who used to blow his own trumpet by Jagdeep in the 1975 blockbuster ‘Sholay’ was a memorable one. In fact, the character got so popular among the audiences that in the year 1988, the character was revived and a spin-off type feature film titled ‘Soorma Bhopali’ was released, in which Jagdeep played the lead.

Tarachand Baadlani

The Amitabh Bachchan starrer ‘Shahenshah’ had the comic playing the role of Tarachand in the film. Directed by Tinnu Anand, the film which released in the year 1988 proved to be a blockbuster hit at the box office.

Latif Khekada

In the Raj Pendurkar directorial ‘Journey Bombay to Goa: Laughter Unlimited’ which released in 2007, Jadeep played his part as the comical relief. Besides him, the movie also starred popular comedians like Sunil Pal, Raju Srivastav, and Asrani.