Mumbai: Veteran actor of Marathi and Hindi films Viju Khote, who was popular for his Kalia character in “Sholay” is no more. He was 78.
Viju passed away early on Monday, family sources said. He is survived by his actor sister Shubha Khote, who was elder to him by five years. Their father Nandu Khote was a noted stage actor too, and he worked in movies during the silent era.
Viju Khote made his big screen debut with “Ya Malak” in 1964 and went on to do some of the most remembered characters in the Hindi film industry.
In a career spanning almost six decades, Viju worked in over 300 films, including “Phir Hera Pheri”, “Andaz Apna Apna” from the modern era besides some television shows and ads. Renowned for comedy roles, Viju was famed for the evergreen reply to Gabbar Singh’s “Kitne Aadmi The?” in “Sholay”. “Do, Sarkar” was the bumbling sidekick was Kalia’s response, which said it all — that they failed their gang lord Gabbar Singh played by Amjad Khan.
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