Veteran Bollywood actor Govardhan Asrani, popularly known as Asrani, has sadly passed away. He was 84. News of his death comes just hours after he took to his social media handle on Monday afternoon to share his Diwali greetings with friends and fans. Thought the cause of his death has not yet been revealed, reports suggest that the actor had been battling a long illness. Speaking to ETimes, his manager revealed that he passed away at around 3 PM.According to Mr. Thiba, the actor had been unwell for the past 15 days. βHe was not feeling well and was admitted to Arogya Hospital four days ago due to breathing issues,β he shared.According to PTI, the family was reportedly told by doctors that “water had accumulated in his lungs.”He went on to add, “He passed away at around 3 PM today. His last rites were performed at 8 PM today.” His last rites were held at the Santacruz crematorium which was attended by family and close friends.“We did not inform anyone about his demise as it was his wish that we should keep it a private thing,β Thiba said to PTI.Kamaal R Khan also shared the news on his handle writing, “Veteran actor Asrani Ji died at the age of 84 years! RIP! You will be missed sir!”In a career spanning over five decades, he had several memorable performances and over 300 films to his credit. He was also widely celebrated for his iconic role as the jailer in ‘Sholay’. He later went on to also win hearts in films like ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, ‘Dhamaal’, ‘Welcome’, ‘Bunty Aur Babli 2’, to name a few. His sudden demise came as a shock to fans who took to social media to offer their condolences and remember him for his iconic performances and commedic timing. Born on January 1, 1941, in Jaipur, Asrani began his acting training under Sahitya Kalbhai Thakkar from 1960 to 1962. He later moved to Mumbai to pursue a professional acting career. An accidental meeting with filmmakers Kishore Sahu and Hrishikesh Mukherjee encouraged him to undergo formal training, setting the stage for his prolific career in Hindi cinema.
