Comedian Birbal who acted in 500+ films dies

MUMBAI: Well-loved comedian Birbal, who capitalised his bumbling persona to his advantage, passed away at age 84 on Tuesday. The actor lived at Seven Bungalows in Andheri.
A familiar figure with a heavy Punjabi accent and thick glasses, Birbal had acted in over 500 films in Hindi, Punjabi and Bhojpuri languages during a long career that began in the mid-1960s.
Born Satinder Khosla, Birbal was the eldest child of a businessman who ran a printing press in Punjab. He did his college in Jalandhar but came away to Mumbai to be a singer, inspired by his idol Kishore Kumar. However, destiny led him to his namesake, Raj Khosla, who impulsively cast him in Do Badan as the quintessential "bewakoof" replacing Gulshan Bawra. He met Manoj Kumar on this set, and it was he who nicknamed him Birbal.
Birbal often credited his success to Raj Khosla and Manoj Kumar, given that he became part of most of their films, including Upkar, Mera Saaya, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan and Kranti. Another early success was the part of Banchharam in V Shantaram's Boond Jo Ban Gayi Moti where he acted with Mumtaz.
Birbal earned immense repeat value as the prisoner in Sholay and the jilted lover in the 'paan' song from Biwi Ho To Aisi. Other notable films are Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se, Tapasya, Sadma and Dil. A YouTube site names the actor's wife as Neena Bhatia. Birbal is survived by a son Santosh and daughter Shalini.