‘Asrani shot for the film even when he couldn’t stand’: Priyadarshan recalls late actor’s painful final days on sets

Asrani, Sholay’ s ‘Angrezon ke zamaane ke jailor’, and legendary comedian, passed away at the age of 84 on October 20, 2025. The veteran actor was hospitalised following breathing issues; doctors later informed that there was fluid accumulation in his lungs. While Asrani stayed in the limelight his entire career, making people laugh and cry with his iconic portrayals, his last wish was to keep his last rites private. The news became official only after the actor’s cremation.

While Asrani’s comedy roles outnumber his other portrayals, many would still remember him as Hindu sage Narad Muni in Natkhat Narad, an 80s show. In the 1975 film Chhoti Si Baat, directed by Basu Chatterjee, Asrani played the role of Nagesh, the second lead alongside Amol Palekar, a role that adds a major twist to