Amitabh Bachchan has penned a tribute for late actor Jagdeep on his blog. Jagdeep, whose real name was Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffri, passed away due to age-related issues in Mumbai on Wednesday. He was 81.

Jagdeep had memorably played the comic character Soorma Bhopali in Sholay (1975), starring Big B and Dharmendra in the lead roles. He had also appeared with Bachchan in Shahenshah (1988).  The same year, Jagdeep directed the Sholay spin-off Soorma Bhopali based on his own character. The film had cameos by Amitabh, Dharmendra, Rekha, and others. 

“Last night we lost another gem, Jagdeep,” Amitabh Bachchan wrote, “..the actor of exceptional comedic repertoire, passed away. He had crafted a unique individual style of his own and I had the honour of working with him in several films - the more prominent ones in the eyes of the audience being Sholay and Shahenshah. He had even requested me to do a small guest role in a film he was producing, which I did. A humble human, loved by millions. My duas and my prayers.”

Big B wrote that Jagdeep’s performances brought joy and happiness all around.

“Adopting Jagdeep as his film name was such a gracious factor that exhibited the unity in diversity of the country. There were many others at the time that did similarly - the eminent and distinguished Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Jayant - Amjad Khan’s Father, a giant of a actor, and many, many others,” he wrote, adding, “One by one they all go away, leaving the industry bereft and deprived of their immense contribution."