Sholay's 'Soorma Bhopali' Jagdeep turned 79 on Thursday, says thank you to fans in a video. Watch
Classics never age. If anything their longevity only increases with time. That explains the lasting legacy of Sholay and the many characters that inhabited this Salim-Javed scripted Bollywood gem. One of the most iconic characters from it remains Soorma Bhopali, played with characteristic skill by veteran comedian Jagdeep, who turned 79 on Thursday.
Dancer-actor and TV host Jaaved Jaaferi, son of the legend, posted a video by Jagdeep on his Twitter time line. Posting the picture, Javed wrote: “As my respected father #Jagdeep, is not on social media he sends a message to thank all the loving fans who wished him on his birthday today.”
The 31-second video has Jagdeep thanking his fans for sending in goodwill messages on his birthday. He sums up his life’s philosophy by saying: Aao hanste hanste aur jaao hanste hanste.” He ends it by repeating his oft-quoted line from Sholay, “hamara naam bhi Soorma Bhopali eise hi nahin hai”.
Jagdeep, it may be recalled, was counted among the most popular comedians in the 1970s and 1980s. Best remembered for his act in Sholay, Jagdeep has worked in as many as 400 films.
Jaaved along with his brother, Naved hosted India’s first dance show (also an immensely popular one) Boogie Woogie in the 1990s, which ran for nearly 15 years. His commentary for famous Japanese TV show Takeshi’s Castle and Ninja Warrior on Pogo TV and Hungama respectively fetched him an entirely new set of fans, among children and adults alike.