Asrani was born in a middle class Sindhi family. His father migrated to Jaipur after the Partition of India and opened a shop selling carpets. He has four sisters and three brothers: two elder and one younger. Asrani was highly uninterested in business and very weak in mathematics. He completed his matriculation from St. Xaviers School and did his graduation from Rajasthan College, Jaipur. He simultaneously worked as a voice artist on All India Radio, Jaipur, to pay for his education. His ultimate aim was to become an actor.He began to learn acting from Sahitya Kalbhai Thakkar from 1960 to 1962. In 1962, he traveled to Bombay and began to seek opportunities to act. In 1963, Hrishikesh Mukherjee advised him to learn acting professionally. In 1964 Asrani joined the Film Institute in Poona (now Film and Television Institute of India, Pune) and finished his course in 1966. He impressed many others and made his acting break in 1967 with a Gujrati movie opposite budding actress Waheeda (not Waheeda Rahman, the Hindi actress). He acted in four other movies, mainly as actor or supporting actor in Gujrati from 1967 to 1969. His debut film in Hindi was Hare Kaanch Ki Chudiyaan where he appeared as Biswajeet’s friend. He acted in Khoon Pasina, marking a serious role other than comedy. It was from 1971 that he started getting more offers as the main comedian in films or as the close friend of the lead actor. He did 96 movies from 1972-79.Directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Atma Ram, Gulzar repeatedly cast him in the period 1971-1974 and his work got noticed through these films as they were hits. These roles he did from 1971-1974 set the tone for a number of supporting and comic roles in his career and in 70’s his demand was at its peak as he appeared in 101 films from 1970-1979 and had effective roles in them.He was hugely talked about in the 1970s and is one of Rajesh Khanna’s close friends.He worked with Rajesh Khanna in 25 films which includes 21 hit films.In the 1980s, he acted in over 107 films. Unlike his roles in 1970-84 which were pivotal to the plot, most of his roles from 1985-1993 were very minor mainly because the concept of a comedian was getting phased out and heroes preferred to do their own comedy and action films were ruling the roost in the period 1985-1994. Simultaneously he kept working in Gujrathi films in 70’s, 80’s as lead hero and achieved success as the lead protagonist in Amdavad No Rikshawalo, Saat Qaidi, Sansar Chakra, Pankhi No Malo, Jugal Jodi, Maa Baap, Chel Chabilo Gujarati. From 90’s he played as comedian or supporting actor in Gujrathi films like Mota Ghar Ni Vahu, Piyu Gayo Pardesh, Baap Dhamal Dikhra. During this period in 1982, he set up a small Gujrati production company with fellow artistes Dinesh Hingoo, Harish Patel and Salim Parvez (son of famous supporting actor Yunus Parvez). The company dissolved in 1996 with a large profit. Asrani also invested mainly in cloth and acted as investor for other actors, until 1991 when he lost a lot of money. From 1988 to 1993, he was a director for the Film Institute in Pune. In 90’s he did only 73 Hindi movies due to lack of good scope for him to perform. Muqabla (1993) saw him in a serious role after long time. D.Rama Naidu gave him a pivotal role to Asrani in Taqdeerwala in 1995 and once again comedy movies were being made from thereon . Asrani started getting good roles in films directed by David Dhawan and Priyadarshan from 1993 till 2012. The 2000s saw Asrani in a number of blockbuster films like Hera Pheri, Chup Chup Ke, Hulchul and Deewane Huye Pagal. He appeared in a serious role in Kyun Ki. He was an integral part of comedies by Sajid Nadiadwala, Priyadarshan after 2000. His screen space in films of Rohit Shetty and others has got reduced gradually after 2009.
Govardhan Asrani
Movies
Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal
Dil Vil Pyar Vyar
Tells the story of three friends Krish Kumar, Hrithik Mittal and Devdarshan Suri alias Dev, who all are from different walks of life as they strive to win the battle of life consisting of hitting it big in the music industry and to cope with the short-comings in their romance.…
Songs
Ab Ke Saawan Mein
Barsaat Bhi Aakar Chali Gayi
Goom Hai Kisi Ke Pyar Mein
Kehna Hai, Kehna Hai
Kya Janu Sajan Hotee Hai Kya Gham Kee Sham
Mere Samnewalee Khidkee Me
O Hansinee Meree Hansinee
O Hasina Julfowalee Jane Jahan
Rat Kalee Ek Khwab Me Aayee
Tere Bina Jindagi Se Koi
Tum Bin Jaaoon Kahan
Yado Kee Barat Niklee Hai Aaj
Ye Jo Mohabbat Hai
Karzzz
Singer/Dancer Monty Oberoi meets and falls in love with Tina. He then starts hallucinating and having visions of an unknown place. His doctors advise him to take a break and he decides to travel to Kenya, where Tina resides with her uncle, Kabira, and guardian, Kamini. Monty experiences more incidents…
Khatta Meetha
A young man named Jeetu finds himself in debt with his father receiving harassing visits from money-lenders. Although his father is scolded daily for his non-progress in their debts, his mother and his fiancée Pooja believe he can successfully fulfill his task and live happily, but burdened with high debt,…
Khatta Meetha (2010)
Satara-based petty road-works contractor, Sachin Tichkule, faces challenges when the Satara Municipal Corporation puts a hold on his payment. He decides to sue them, while his extended family deal with the crisis of a recently-collapsed bridge resulting in 65 deaths. If matters were not bad enough, the new Municipal Commissioner…
Agniputra
The story begins with a man Arjun(mithun) working in a band with his family, consisting of 3 sisters and his widowed mother. Arjun then falls in love with the daughter of a MLA, who was involved with his family. The police make a false accusation against Arjun and his sisters…
Dus Tola
Inspired by the folk tales passed on from one generation to another, ‘Dus Tola’ is a simply told story of victory of goodness over greed. The story is set in Sonapur, a quaint little town that has its share of eccentrics. Shankar (Manoj Bajpayee), the local goldsmith, is head-over-heels in…
All The Best
Veer Kapoor lives in a palatial bungalow in Goa along with his girlfriend, Vidya, and a maid, Mary. Every month he gets an allowance of Rs. 1 Lakh from his NRI brother, Dharam, which he uses to fund his band, as well as the dilapidated Gym of his friends, Prem…
Lajja
Vaidehi (Manisha Koirala) gets married to Raghuvir (Jackie Shroff), an NRI. Suffering the agony of an unhappy marriage, she decides to run away from him when she learns that she is pregnant and he wants to take the child away from her. In her pursuit for freedom, she meets Mythili…
Sahib Bahadur
In a small town, situated in a picturesque Indian valley, lives a corrupt Deputy collector, Hare Murari, an equally corrupt Police Superintendent, Pasupathi; a doctor; a Judge; & Professor Rampyare. These officials always ensure that no one gets anything done without their permission, thus ensuring that their palms are adequately…
Fakira
In order to help the poor and needy; Vijay alias Fakira rob a gang leader, Chimanlal on multiple occasions of his cash and smuggled goods. This makes him a target of the police and Chimanlal himself; Chimanlal hires a man name Toofan to either capture Fakira or bring his dead…
Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi
Life Mein Hungama Hai
Future To Bright Hai Ji
Garam Masala
Shyam and Makarand work as photographers in a commercial advertising agency. Both of them like to fool around with women, even though Makarand is engaged to be married to a doctor named Anjali. In order to outsmart each other, they two get into a competition of shooting a photograph, and…
Ghar
Vikas, the son of a successful lawyer, disagrees with his father over his choice for his life partner; and marries his girlfriend Aarti. They enjoy the bliss of marriage, breaking away from the custom of staying with his widower father. Returning home from a date, they encounter a traumatic incident…
Sholay
Sholay means “embers” in Hindi. In this film, a police officer whose family was filled by a bandit named Gabbar Singh decides to fight fire with fire and requires two convicts, Jai and Veeru, to capture Gabbar. He approaches them in jail and puts the proposal in front of them,…
Mard Ki Zabaan
Ram Chauhan makes a living as a farmer and lives with his brother, Lakshman. He falls in love with wealthy Lakshmi Sahay, much to the chagrin of her dad, Raghupathi, who breaks off all relations with her. His anger does not subside even when Lakshmi gives birth to a son,…
Mastizaade
Mehbooba
A singer by profession, Suraj (Rajesh Khanna) gets stranded in resthouse in the coutnryside during a rainstorm. While there he experiences ununsual feelings, as if he has been there before. He feels himself transported to another time and era, to another birth, and drawn to a woman named Ratna (Hema…
Balwinder Singh Famous Ho Gaya
Tapasya
Tapasya – meaning penance is the story of Indu, eldest child of Prof Chandrakant Sinha takes on the responsibility of rearing her younger siblings, Vinod, Madhu and the youngest sister. Indu is the breadwinner of the family and acts as both father and mother to the children. The family doctor,…
Himmatwala
An honest temple priest takes on more than he can handle when he bears witness to a murder and gives evidence in a court of law against a powerful landlord in his village. The landlord bribes his way to freedom and engineers a ploy to ruin the priests reputation and…
Hulchul
Angar Chand lives a wealthy lifestyle in a small town in India along with his wife, Parvati, and four sons, Balram, Kishan, Shakti and Jai. Since Balram is of marriageable age, he arranges his marriage with the daughter of Laxmi Devi, who decides to oppose this marriage. During the wedding…
Chal Chala Chal
Pune-based widower Omkar Nath used to work as a Headmaster with a local school. When he was fired, his son, Deepak, hired a lawyer to sue the school. The school was represented by none other than Omkar’s live-in son-in-law, Vinayak Agrawal. After some years the Court finally came to a…
Chupke Chupke
Raghav brags that he can smell a rat or an impersonator automatically, and Dr. Parimal Tripathi decides to take him on – result: funny family slapstick comedy, with a dose of pure Hindi and Urdu thrown in, especially the dialogue delivery by Om Prakash, Dharmendra, and Amitabh Bachchan. Notable songs…
Jeena Marna Tere Sang
Amar is son of MLA Khurana whose a spoiled brat and mischievous in college but has cold shoulder towards his friend Vijay and comes to his aid whenever needed Khurana wants Amar to marry his classmate Priya daughter of minister Heeralal.Asha lives with a lame father Dinanath and stepmother Kamla…
Songs
Chaha Hai Tujhe Chahenge
Dil Mein Kya Hai Tera Pyaar
Jab Najar Band Thee Woh Mere Paas Tha
Jamin Hans Rahee Hai, Falak Ro Raha Hai
Jo Sachche Premee Hain Kisise Dar Nahee Sakate
Kal Maine Khulee Aankh Se Ik Sapana Dekha
Pyar Hai Ishvar Pyar
Tere Liye Laaya Huun Main Laal Laal Chuudiyaan
Teree Umrr Hai Solah Bulabul See Chahake
Tumse Hai Jitana Pyar Yeh Ham Kah Nahee Sakate
Fun Facts
Asrani acted with Superstar Rajesh Khanna in 25 films. Kaka had met Asrani on sets of Bawarchi and their friendship grew during Namak Haram and they worked till Ghar Parivaar in 1991.
Partner of Bollywood actress Manju Asrani.
His notable comedic roles in the 1970s are in Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar, Roti, Prem Nagar, Chupke Chupke, Chhoti Si Baat, Rafoo Chakkar, Sholay, Balika Badhu, Fakira, Anurodh, Chhailla Babu, Charas, Phaansi, Dillagi, Heeralal Pannalal, Pati Patni Aur Woh and Hamare Tumhare.
He became a regular feature in films produced by D. Rama Naidu and those movies directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, B.R.Chopra, K. Bapaiah, Narayana Rao Dasari, K. Raghavendra Rao, Basu Chatterjee in 1972-1992.
In 1974, he directed his first movie in Gujrati with Asrani himself as the hero, and the song Hu Amdavad No Rikshawalo sung by Kishore Kumar was pictured on Asrani. The songs pictured on Asrani and sung by Kishore in Hindi are Achcha Chaloji Baba Maaf Kardo from Hamare Tumhare, Pyar Main Karoonga from Yeh Kaisa Insaaf. The song 'Mannu Bhai Motor Chali Pam' was sung by him with Kishore Kumar and was pictured on Rishi Kapoor and him, in 'Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan' in 1978.
First appeared as a extra actor in the Shammi Kapoor film Ujala in 1959.
Claimed Raj Kapoor had a grudge against Asrani because Rishi Kapoor did not get admission at the film institute. Asrani was a instructor and felt Rishi was non matriculate. Years later Raj Kapoor offered Asrani a role in a production but Asrani quoted a high price.
Sudhakar Bokade signed Asrani to direct the film Padkaar in 1991. The film got shelved. Divya Films "Padkaar""(1991) Starring Asrani,Upasna Singh,Natasha Sinha, Sudhir Pandey, Mukesh Rawal,Anjali Parmar,Shiva,Mahavir Shah, Music by Gaurang Vyas, Produced by Sudhakar Bokade, Directed by Asrani.
Starred in the shelved film Sai Films International ""Ghadbadh Ghotala""(1977) . Starring Jagdeep,Asrani,Aruna Irani,Rajendra Nath,Kesto Mukherjee,Maruti, Rita Bhaduri,Shyamalee,Yunes Parves, Shobha Khote, Bhagwan,Mohan Choti, Ferita Boyce, Music by Bappi Lahiri , Produced and Directed by Ramesh Meer.
Starred in the shelved movie ,Majestic Movies ""Ekay Pe Ekka""(1975). Starring Asrani, Aruna Irani, Music by Bappi Lahiri, Produced by Dileep Raj, Directed by Jagdish Nirula.
Starred in the shelved movie Sun Shine Films ""Jugal Jodi""(1977) Starring Deven Verma, Asrani, Vidya Sinha,Sarika, Music by Shankar Jaikishen, Directed by Kewal Sharma.
Starred in the shelved movie ""Shaalu""(1978) Starring Vijendra Ghatge, Sarika,Asrani,Utpal Dutt,Music Bappi Lahiri,Produced by M.H. Parvez,Directed by Hiren Nag.
Starred in the shelved movie Satyendra Films ""Chandaal Chowki""(1977) Starring Asrani,Jagdeep,Yogita Bali, Johnny Walker,Directed by Umesh Mathur.
Was directing the shelved untitled film M I K Films production no 2. Starring Ayub Khan, Madhoo,Music by Anu Malik, Produced by Mohd Iqbal Khan, Directed by Asrani."