Veteran Bollywood actor AK Hangal passed away on Sunday morning at a Mumbai hospital the age of 95. He was admitted after suffering from a hip fracture.
He was put on life support system at the hospital following a lung and kidney failure but he did not respond to the treatment.
Born as Avtaar Veenit Kishan Hangal into a Kashmiri Pandit family in Peshawar, he was an active member of the Communist party there while working as a tailor. He actively participated in union activities and was arrested.
Hangal moved to Bombay in 1949 after spending two years in Pakistan prison. He came in the city of dreams at the age of 21 with Rs 20 in his pocket.
Hangal was drawn to Indian People\\\’s Theatre Association (IPTA) in India. He started working with Balraj Sahni and Kaifi Azmi in IPTA.
In his late 40s, Hangal was offered the part of Raj Kapoor\\\’s brother in 1966 film "Teesri Kasam" by director Basu Bhattacharya but his scenes were removed from the film.
There was no looking back for him after that. He starred in over 200 films. His mostly played roles of father, uncle, grandfather or that of a meek and harassed old man, an image he could never get rid off.
He played roles in films like Sholay, Shaukeen, Namak Haram, Aaina, Avtaar, Arjun, Aandhi, Kora Kagaz, Bawarchi, Chitchor, Guddi, Abhimaan, Anamika and Parichay.
He was also a regular in Rajesh Khanna\\\’s starrers like Aap Ki Kasam, Amar Deep, Naukri, Thodisi Bewafaiiand Phir Wohi Raat.
Playing the role of Rahim Chacha inSholay, he uttered those famous words, Itna sannata kyon hai, bhai.
The actor was in news last year for living a life in penury. His son Vijay, a retired still cameraman in Bollywood, appealed for help after failing to meet Hangal\\\’s medical expenses. Several Bollywood celebrities like the Bachchans, producer-director Vipul Shah, and actors Mithun Chakraborty, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan came forward to help him.
He returned to face the studio lights again recently after a gap of seven years for TV show Madhubala.