NEW DELHI: Veteran Indian movie comedien Deven Verma passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Pune where he was admitted with a heart-related problem. He was 77. “He had been unwell for the last one-and-a-half years. He had diabetes since the last 35 years,” a family member was quoted as saying in Pune.

“Off late, he had developed heart problem as well. He was hospitalised on Monday evening and was in the ICU. At about 1.45 am, he passed away.” Mr Verma is survived by his wife Rupa Ganguly, daughter of late acting legend Ashok Kumar.

Born and brought up in Pune, Verma had worked in several famous films and was particularly known for his comic roles in films such as Angoor, Golmaal, Rang Birangi, Chori Mera Kaam and Chor Ke Ghar Chor, among others.

Among the new films in which he acted were ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Ishq’, ‘Kya Kehna’, ‘Salaakhein’, ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’ and ‘Hulchul’. His last Hindi film was ‘Calcutta Mail’ that was released in 2003.

Mr Verma was particularly popular for his deadpan expressions while saying subversive things as if accidentally. “Ghisi-hui, purani, bekaar si cheezen — jaise tumhare pitaji (Old, faded, useless things — like your father), he says in Kissi se na Kehna, explaining the meaning of “antique” to a girlfriend. Indeed, Mr Verma came from a Marathi theatre tradition built on word play and deadpan expressions more than on physical comedy.

Published in Dawn December 3rd , 2014