It’s heartbreaking that on Monday, as the country was in a jubilant mood celebrating Diwali, the man who made us chuckle and laugh over the years, through his comic acts, was no longer with us. Veteran actor Govardhan Asrani, better known by his mononym Asrani, passed away on October 20 in Mumbai. Confirming the news to mid-day on late Monday evening, his personal assistant Babubhai said, “Asrani sahab was admitted to Bharatiya Arogya Nidhi Hospital in Juhu four days ago. He passed away between 3.00 and 3.30 pm today. His funeral is done.”

In a career spanning over five decades, Asrani gave Hindi cinema many memorable characters, most iconic among them being his quirky jailor act in Sholay (1975).