25 minutes agoAuthor: Arunima Shukla
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Today is the 85th birth anniversary of Jagdeep, who immortalized the character of Surma Bhopali in Sholay. In his 7 decades of acting, he made people laugh in about 400 films, but in reality he was not untouched by struggle in life.
His father was killed in the riots during India-Pakistan partition. Then the mother raised him by working in an orphanage. To help his mother, he sold balloons on the streets at the age of 7-8 and worked in a tin, kite and soap factory. During this time his relationship with films started. Then, starting from being a child artist, he traveled the journey to playing lead roles in films.
Like films, Jagdeep's personal life was also filmy. He fell in love with the elder sister of the girl who came to see his son and also married him.
Today, on Jagdeep's 85th birth anniversary, read some untold stories of his life…
Father died in India-Pakistan partition riots
Jagdeep was born in Datia, Madhya Pradesh on 29 March 1939 in an affluent family. He was brought up very lavishly, but this happiness lasted only for a few days.
Actually, this was the period of India-Pakistan partition. Jagdeep's family also had to bear the brunt of partition. This riot took away the shadow of his father from his head. After this incident, trouble started in the family. As a result, the mother had to move to Mumbai with younger Jagdeep in search of work.
Left studies and worked in a tin factory
After reaching Mumbai, Jagdeep's mother did not get any work for a few days. There were problems with everything like food and living. However, their struggle soon ended. Jagdeep's mother got a job as a cook in an orphanage. Because of this he had to work there from morning till evening.
This condition of his mother troubled Jagdeep a lot. One day he saw children of his age selling balloons. There he saw some children working in tin factories. Seeing this, a desire to work arose in his mind also. He decided that he would also help his mother by earning like this. For this he even decided to leave his studies.
When mother came to know about this, she became very angry. However, after much persuasion, she agreed. After this Jagdeep started working in a tin factory. Later he worked from selling soap to making kites.
During this time, a hotel owner used to give him and his friends green chillies to eat along with dry pav. Jagdeep along with his friends used to grind that chilli and eat it with relish along with dry pav.
This scene is from the film Afsana, which was the first film of Jagdeep's career. He worked as a child artist in the film.
Agreed to work in the film for just Rs 3
In the 1950s, B.R.Chopra was preparing to make the film Afsana. He needed some child artists for the film. The casting team was troubled for many days in this search. One day his eyes fell on Jagdeep. Jagdeep seemed absolutely right for the scene.
Chopra's casting team asked her to work in films. Bhole Jagdeep had neither heard about films nor seen any film before. Then he asked how much remuneration he would get if he agreed to do the work. Got the answer – Rs 3. On hearing this, Jagdeep agreed to work in the film.
Due to talent, he got not 3 but 6 rupees in his first film.
On the first day Jagdeep went to the set with his mother. In the scene in which he had to work, he had to sit and clap with the children in the ongoing children's play. In that play, a child had to speak a long line in Urdu, but the boy was getting stuck again and again.
Jagdeep found this work very easy. He asked the boy sitting next to him- If I do this, how much money will I get for this work?
The boy told that he would get a lot of money. Because of the need for money, he went and spoke that line. Urdu was good so he spoke the entire line in one take. Then he got Rs 6 for this work. Jagdeep gained popularity with the role of the film Afsana, after which he worked as a child artist in films like Laila Majnu, Footpath.
Got work in Bimal Roy's films because of crying
Jagdeep played the childhood role of Kishore Kumar in the film Dhobi Doctor. He was shot crying in a scene of the film. Jagdeep's performance in this scene was so amazing that director Bimal Roy became a fan of his work.
Then he met Jagdeep. During the meeting, Jagdeep wooed her with his words also. What happened next, Bimal Roy offered him to work in two bighas of land. After this both of them worked together in many films.
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru gave his stick as a gift
Jagdeep had worked as a child artist in films like Munna, Ab Dilli Door Nahin Hai, Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke, which were very much liked by the audience. The then Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru also saw these films and invited all the child artists who had worked in the films for breakfast.
Pt. Nehru also gave bouquets to the children along with breakfast, but when Jagdeep's turn came, the bouquets were finished. On this the Prime Minister told him – Jagdeep, your acting in films was excellent, I liked it very much. At the moment the bouquets are finished, but I want you to keep my stick as a mark of respect. Jagdeep kept the stick given by Prime Minister Nehru with him all his life.
This is the poster of the film Brahmachari (1968). In this, Jagdeep did a comedy role for the first time, after which he started being offered comedy films.
To become a support. Asif, did not have money himself, still helped
Director in the film industry. Stories of Asif's generosity were very famous. He once offered a film to Jagdeep. People cited Jagdeep's generosity and asked him to demand more fees from the director.
Jagdeep met him.
Of. Asif asked him- How much will you charge for working in a film?
In response Jagdeep said- Rs 2500.
On this Asif said- You don't know your true worth. I will give you Rs 3500 for this role.
After this. Asif sent him away after giving him Rs 500 and said- When you need the remaining money, come and ask for it.
Jagdeep felt very happy with this action of Asif. Then the shooting started. During this period, whenever he needed money, he went to K. Used to go and ask for it from Asif. Asif's servant became very angry due to his actions. One day he stopped Jagdeep and said – Why do you come again and again to ask for money? Don't you know that the remaining shooting of the film will never happen now? For some reason it has been stopped.
Of. Asif was the only director who directed 2 films in his career. Mughal-e-Azam, one of the best films of Hindi cinema, is also his contribution.
Jagdeep felt very bad after hearing that despite the film being closed. Asif kept helping him. After this he decided that he would never come to ask for money again. However, one day he was in dire need of some money. Ultimately he was forced to Had to go to Asif because he knew that he would help him in this time of trouble.
He went and K. Asif gave him 50 rupees. Then his servant interrupted Jagdeep and said – You have come again. Of. Asif and his wife had only these 50 rupees, which they gave to you. Jagdeep regretted this all his life. Remembering this incident he often used to say that K. Only a great and kind-hearted director like Asif could have made a film like Mughal-e-Azam.
Story of becoming Surma Bhopali
Jagdeep Surma was seen in the role of Bhopali in the film Sholay. This role was liked so much that people started knowing Jagdeep as Surma Bhopali. The story of him getting this role is also very interesting. Actually, the character of 'Soorma Bhopali' was based on Bhopal's Forest Officer Nahar Singh.
Javed Akhtar, who lived in Bhopal for a long time, had heard the stories of Nahar Singh, so when he started writing the film 'Sholay' with Salim, he created a character 'Soorma Bhopali' similar to Nahar Singh for comedy.
Jagdeep Surma was seen in the role of Bhopali in the film Sholay. He shared the screen with Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra.
One day Javed Akhtar told him the story of the film Sholay. Jagdeep thought that because of friendship he would get work, but it did not happen.
Almost the entire shooting of the film was completed, then one day suddenly he got a call from director Ramesh Sippy. He offered Jagdeep the role of Soorma Bhopali in the film. On this Jagdeep said that the shooting of the film has been completed. Then Sippy said that shooting of some scenes is still left. After this he played the role of Surma Bhopali, which is immortal even today.
The roles of Sholay and Soorma Bhopali, both were hits. After this success, Jagdeep thought of making the film Soorma Bhopali on this character. He also made this film, which was released in 1988. It was a flop in many states of India, but this film had a large number of fans in Madhya Pradesh.
Married 3 times, became father of 6 children
Jagdeep's personal life is also no less filmy. He had 3 marriages, from which he had 6 children. The first wife was Naseem Begum, the second was Sughra Begum and the third was Nazima. The story of marrying a third wife is also different. According to reports, the girl's family had come to see Jagdeep's son, but son Naved did not want to get married.
Jagdeep, the elder sister of the girl whose relationship came, liked him at first sight. He also proposed to the girl, after which both of them got married. He has a daughter Muskaan Jaffrey from this marriage.
Son Javed Jaffrey was troubled by Jagdeep's excessive drinking.
Jagdeep's second son Javed Jaffrey is also associated with the film industry. Media reports claimed that relations between Jaffrey and Jagdeep were not good. The reason was that there was a time when Jagdeep started drinking too much alcohol and also got addicted to gambling. Jafri did not like this habit of his at all, due to which there used to be arguments between them every day. He had also refused Jagdeep many times. However, after some time their relationship became better than before.
Said goodbye to the world at the age of 81
At the age of 81, Jagdeep was struggling with diseases. He had become very weak during the Corona lockdown. Finally, on July 8, 2020, he said goodbye to the world, leaving behind a family of 6 children and grandchildren.
