Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood actor and director Govardhan Asrani, popularly known as Asrani, passed away on Monday, India Today reported, quoting his nephew Ashok.

He was 82. He had been admitted to the hospital for the past five days.

Known for his versatile acting and comic timing, Asrani had a career spanning more than five decades in the Hindi film industry.

Asrani appeared in over 400 Hindi films, playing lead roles, character roles, comedic roles, and supporting roles. He was particularly remembered for his iconic portrayal of the jailer in Sholay and for his frequent collaborations with superstar Rajesh Khanna, appearing in 25 films alongside him between 1972 and 1991.

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