Latest news with #Afsana
India.com
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This Sholay star used to sell soap, had nothing to eat, was paid Rs 6 for his first film, name was..., died due to...
This Sholay star used to sell soap, had nothing to eat, was paid Rs 6 for his first film, name was..., died due to... Sholay continues to be one of the cult classic films in Bollywood. While lead actors Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Hema Malini received immense love for their portrayals, the actors who starred as supporting characters, including Asrani and Jagdeep, also received critical acclaim. Jagdeep, who portrayed Soorma Bhopali is still reminisced for his powerful dialogue 'Humara naam Soorma Bhopali aise hi nahi hai,' in Sholay. Do you know the actor had to go through extreme circumstances during his early phase? The heartbreaking struggles of Jagdeep's childhood Born as Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffrey in Gwalior during the pre-Partition days, Jagdeep's mother took him to Karachi after his father's demise. However, they later moved to Mumbai in search of better livelihood. With no family savings, Jagdeep's mother found a job at a local orphanage as a cook. He too took odd jobs such as selling kites and soap to earn whatever little he could to support his family. Jagdeep's first break in films Jagdeep then got his first break in the industry when someone came looking for kids to cast in B.R. Chopra's Afsana. He happily took the offer for mere Rs 3. On the set, he discovered that the actor who could speak Urdu would be paid Rs 6, so he eagerly said yes. From there on, he started getting small roles and collaborated with renowned filmmakers like KA Abbas (Munna), Guru Dutt (Aar Paar), and Bimal Roy (Do Bigha Zamin). He garnered recognition in 1986 with his quirky role in Shammi Kapoor's Brahmachari , becoming famous for his witty expressions and overall funny persona. It was until his character of Soorma Bhopali in Sholay rose him to celebratory status. With over 400 films and one of his most remarkable characters, veteran actor Jagdeep's contribution to the industry is still etched in the hearts of Bollywood fans. His journey from a tough childhood to a becoming a renowned comedian is nothing short of inspirational. The actor breathed his last on July 9, 2020 at the age of 81 at his Mumbai residence.
News18
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Did You Know THIS Sholay Actor Once Sold Soap And Sifted Rat Sh*t to Eat Bread Crumbs!
Sholay actor Jagdeep once lived on the streets, sold soap, and sifted rat droppings from bread crumbs to survive. His journey is truly inspiring. Sholay is one of the most loved films in Bollywood to date. The action drama didn't just receive praise but is adored to such an extent that people remember each and every scene of the movie by heart. While Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, and Hema Malini's characters received high acclaim, the actors who played supporting roles, including Asrani and Jagdeep, also received immense love from the audience. But did you know Jagdeep, whose character Soorma Bhopali is still remembered for his dialogue, 'Humara naam Soorma Bhopali aise hi nahi hai," had to fish out bread crumbs from a pool of rat faeces during his struggling days? His journey from a challenging childhood to becoming a well-known comedian is nothing short of inspirational. Jagdeep was born in Gwalior during the pre-Partition days, and after his father's demise, his mother took him to Karachi. They later shifted to Mumbai. When one of his brothers abandoned them, and with no money in their pockets, they had to take shelter on the streets of the city. 'My father saw the bloodshed in the trains, the riots… When he came to Bombay, somehow there was no connect with his brothers. He lived on the streets with his mother," his son and actor Jaaved Jaaferi shared with Rediff a few years ago. Jagdeep once lived under a bridge in Byculla, selling soaps and kites to earn whatever little he could. His mother worked as a cook at an orphanage, while he took up odd jobs to help make ends meet. 'When they did not have money, a bakery would sell the bread crumbs fallen on the floor for one paisa in a newspaper. But before eating, they had to take out the rat and cockroach sh*t from the crumbs," his son recalled. Jagdeep got his first break in films when someone came looking for kids for B.R. Chopra's Afsana. He jumped at the chance after hearing he'd earn Rs 3 for the role. On set, he discovered that those who could speak Urdu would be paid Rs 6, so he seized the opportunity eagerly. Interestingly, up until that point, Jagdeep had never even seen a film. Jagdeep rose to prominence for his role as Soorma Bhopali in Sholay. Sholay (1975) is a landmark Bollywood action-drama directed by Ramesh Sippy. Set in the fictional village of Ramgarh, it follows two ex-convicts, Jai and Veeru (played by Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra), who a retired police officer hires, Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar), to capture the ruthless dacoit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sholay actor had to sift through rat sh*t so he could eat bread crumbs, slept on the streets, sold kites to make a living: ‘Khaane ko paise nahi the'
Sholay, one of the most impactful films made in India, completes its 50 years in a few weeks. The Ramesh Sippy directorial is one of those rare films where the audience remembers every dialogue by every character even now. Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jaya Bachchan played the lead roles here but actors like Asrani, Jagdeep, Mac Mohan, AK Hangal, Viju Khote who played supporting roles here are also remembered for their contribution in the creation of the classic. Jagdeep, who played Soorma Bhopali, in the film is still remembered for his dialogue, 'Humara naam Soorma Bhopali aise hi nahi hai.' But his long and tumultuous journey from being a child selling soap on the streets, who had to fish out bread crumbs from a pool of rat faeces, to becoming one of the most loved comedians is worth remembering. Jagdeep was one of ten siblings and was born near Gwalior in the pre-Partition days. After his father's passing, his mother took him to Karachi as two of her sons lived there but unfortunately, the Partition was upon them and Jagdeep and his mother decided to come back to Bombay. Here, Jagdeep's older brother abandoned them and left them to fend for themselves. With no money in their pockets and no clothes on their back, they had to resort to living on the streets. 'My father saw the bloodshed in the trains, the riots… When he came to Bombay, somehow there was no connect with his brothers. He lived on the streets with his mother,' his son Jaaved Jaaferi shared with Rediff a few years ago. Jagdeep lived under a bridge in the Byculla area and would sell soaps, kites, and made whatever little money they could. His mother worked at an orphanage as a cook, and he did whatever little odd jobs he could find. Jaaved, in the same interview, shared that when they didn't have any money, a bakery would sell them bread crumbs collected from the floor, and that would be filled with rat and cockroach faeces. 'When they did not have money, a bakery would sell the bread crumbs fallen on the floor for one paisa in a newspaper. But before eating, they had to take out the rat and cockroach sh*t from the crumbs,' he said. Jagdeep first chanced upon film work when someone was looking for kids for BR Chopra's Afsana. He jumped when he learnt that he would make Rs 3 after working in the film. On set, he learnt that anyone who could speak in Urdu would get Rs 6 and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Until then, Jagdeep had never even seen a film. His son, Naved Jaaferi, later shared with SCREEN, 'He would smile at this memory, 'Uss waqt khaane ko paise nahin hote the, film kya khaak dekhte' (At that time, I hardly had money to eat, forget spending on a film).' ALSO READ | Bollywood icon got 'married' at 13 to man three decades her senior, watched her infant daughter die, converted to Islam after seeing dreams Jagdeep was born with the name Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffery but he never knew who gave him his screen name. On set, he was called Munna. After Afsana, he worked in a few more films like Do Bigha Zamin, Chalis Baba Ek Chor, Aar Paar, Munna as a child actor. Such were his skills that once Dilip Kumar gave him Rs 100 because he was so impressed with his performance. He was once invited by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the screening of Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke and while every child artiste got a gift from him, there was no gift for Jagdeep. This is when Nehru gave him his walking stick. 'This is very dear to me, but now, it's for you,' he said. Jagdeep continued to appear in many films but never made it as a leading actor but a supporting role in Sholay gave him a role of a lifetime. Writers Salim-Javed recommended him for the role. 'From what I know, Javed saab used to be good at mimicry and he wanted Soorma Bhopali to speak not like a typical Bhopali man but actually like a blabbering Bhopali woman to achieve a heightened sense of comic effect. The conceit worked,' Naved shared in the same chat. The character was instantly popular, along with everything else in Sholay and a few years later, when Jagdeep made his directorial debut, he called the film Soorma Bhopali. In his later years, he appeared in films like Purana Mandir, Andaz Apna Apna but it was his role in Sholay that became his most popular calling card. Jagdeep passed away in 2020 at 81.
India.com
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This actor ate food full of rat and cockroach filth, lived under a bridge, sold soap and combs, his luck changed when PM sent…, he is…
This actor was a rare gem in the history of Indian cinema and spread the brilliance of his acting on the silver screen. But his early life was so bad and full of suffering that you will shudder to know about it. His condition was such that he was forced to eat food dropped on the road. That too food which had rat and cockroach filth in it. Nobody helped this actor in his difficult times. Out of helplessness, he slept under a bridge, and thieves and robbers helped him. This actor went on to become a big star of Hindi cinema. His son is also a great dancer and actor today. Do you know which actor we are talking about? This actor closely witnessed the riots and violence in trains during the partition of India and Pakistan. He saw hundreds of people getting killed before his eyes. This is actor Jagdeep, who became famous as Surma Bhopali in 'Sholay'. He started his career in films as a child artist, but this journey was full of difficulties. Jagdeep suffered a lot from a very young age, about which his son Javed Jaffrey told 'Rediff' in 2021. Javed Jaffrey had told that his father Jagdeep lived on the streets after coming to Mumbai. Jagdeep was from a rich family. His father was a lawyer for the Maharaja of Datia (near Gwalior). Jagdeep was the youngest of 10 siblings. But suddenly, one day his father died. Jagdeep was seven to eight years old then. His mother took him to Karachi and started living there. But after the partition of India and Pakistan, Jagdeep and his mother came to India. But during this time, the riots that happened and trains full of dead bodies were coming to India… Jagdeep saw all this with his own eyes. Javed Jaffrey had mentioned this. After coming to India, Jagdeep and his mother had to live on the streets. They sold all the things and clothes they had in their bags so that they could fill their stomachs. On the other hand, their mother also used to work as a utensil washer Gradually, that money got over. Then Jagdeep started living under the Byculla bridge in South Central Mumbai. To earn a living, Jagdeep did every small job. Sometimes he would sell soap and kites, and sometimes combs. Regarding this, Jagdeep himself said in an interview that he did not want to earn money by doing any wrong to survive. That is why he started selling goods on the road. When Jagdeep and his family had no money left and were on the verge of dying of hunger, they would eat bad food. Javed Jaffrey had said that a baker used to sell the pieces of bread fallen on the floor for one paisa. Jagdeep and his family had to eat that. But before eating, they had to remove the dirt of rats and cockroaches from the pieces. Javed Jaffrey had said that no one helped his father in that difficult time. But some drunkards and thieves used to help Jagdeep. That is why he considered him a good person. Jagdeep was given his first chance in films by B.R. Chopra. The film was 'Afsana' in which he was a child artist. After this, Jagdeep never looked back and kept doing whatever small roles he got. Jagdeep did such a good job in the film 'Panchhi Ek Daal Ke' that even India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was impressed by him. Nehru was so happy that he even gave his personal staff to Jagdeep.
