Actor-director Govardhan Asrani, popularly known as Asrani, passed away in Mumbai on Monday after a prolonged illness. He was 84.

Asrani was born in Jaipur on January 1, 1941. After completing his education there, he began his career at All India Radio as a voice artist. After learning acting under Sahitya Kalabhai Thakkar, he moved to Mumbai in 1962. A chance meeting with filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee led him to join the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune , from where he graduated in 1966. Lack of opportunities and few blink-and-miss roles in films like Hum Kahan Ja Rahe Hain, Hare Kanch Ki Chooriyan, Umang and Satyakam forced Asrani to start teaching at FTII while struggling in Mumbai. Interestingly, it was one of his fourth year students, who opened up opportuni

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