Legendary actor and comedian,
Jagdeep died at the age of 81 on Wednesday, 8 July.
His son and actor Jaaved Jaaferi took to Twitter to express gratitude to everyone who ‘shared the pain of his departure with love and appreciation.’
Recalling Jagdeep’s journey into the industry after partition, Jaaved wrote, “From 10 to 81, all he breathed and lived was film. After losing his father at 7 and losing everything else that existed of a good life after the partition, it was a head to head combat with poverty and survival on the footpath’s of Mumbai. An 8 yr old with his mother thrown head first into the ocean. It was either sink or swim. So he swam.”
He added, “From working in small scale tin factories, to making kites, selling soap, to walking behind a Maalishwala holding his canister of oil and shouting ‘Maalish, tel maalish’. At 10 yrs of age what destiny choose for him, as the light at the end of the tunnel, was cinema.”
Jaaved remembered how his father’s film journey began with BR Chopra’s Afsana and then there was no looking back. He named Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan, K Asif as few of Jagdeep’s guides in the industry.
“The word ‘legend’ is thrown around freely these days but in his case it is so amply justified. A father who taught me the values of life, the lessons of poverty, the importance of dedication and the finesse of craft, with innumerable stories of positivity and inspiration.” added
Jaaved Jaaferi
The actor concluded his tribute by reciting one of the famous dialogues of his father from the film Sholay, “To the man I called ‘papa’ and who the world knew by his various avatars, SALAAM !!!Aapka naam Sooorma Bhopali ayysaee naee tha!!”
