Macmohan, Sambha of 'Sholay', is dead
The character actor best known for playing the role of Gabbar Singh's sidekick Sambha, in Ramesh Sippy's superhit 1975 film Sholay was suffering from lung cancer.
Character actor Macmohan, best known for playing the role of Gabbar Singh's sidekick Sambha, in Ramesh Sippy's superhit 1975 film Sholay, died this afternoon at the Kokilaben Dhirubhani Ambani hospital at Andheri (West).
The actor, whose real name was Mohan Makhijani, was suffering from lung cancer, hospital sources said. He was 71.
Macmohan, who started his career with the film Haqeeqat in 1964, acted in over 175 films in a career spanning 46 years.
He shot to fame as the gun-toting dacoit Sambha in Sholay.
He essayed a number of villainous roles in films like Don, The Burning Train and Satte Pe Satta.
"No one could have suited Sambha's role better than Macmohan. He will always be remembered by that role," Ramesh Sippy told the Press Trust of India.
Amjad Khan's conversation with Macmohan is among the most quoted dialogues from the film. Sambha is asked by Khan's character, Gabbar Singh, "अरे ओ साम्भा, कितना इनाम रखे हैं सरकार हम पर (Arre o Sambha, kitna inaam rakhe hain sarkar hum par)?" Pat comes the reply, "पुरे पचास हजार!" (Poore pachaas hazaar).
Javed Akhtar, who penned those famous lines, says only Macmohan could have done justice to them. "The way he sat on the hillock, overlooking Gabbar's den, was a sight to behold," the noted writer-lyricist said.