Remembering Deven Verma On Birth Anniversary: Looking Back At His Brilliant Movies

Holding back or hamming it up, Verma could do it all. But before he discovered his forte, the Pune-based actor made his debut in Yash Chopra’s Dharmaputra co-starring Mala Sinha and Shashi Kapoor.

After doing a spate of secondary characters, Verma gained popularity as a comedian through films like Gumraah, Buddha Mil Gaya, Kora Kagaz, Chor Ka Ghar Chor, Angoor and Andaz Apna Apna over the next decades. Unfortunately, his turn as producer of the spy thriller Yakeen and attempt at direction with films like Nadaan and Besharam did not quite take off.

Bollywood comedian Deven Verma, known for his rib-tickling straight-faced comedy, died of a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on Tuesday. Here are ten of his best films:

#Angoor: Actors Deven Verma and Sanjeev Kumar were seen in dual roles in 1982 comedy Angoor, an adaptation of Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors. The story revolves around two sets of identical twins, each set named Ashok and Bahadur, who are separated at birth. Their paths cross years later and much confusion arises from mistaken identities. Deven Verma, playing Bahadur and Bahadur, won his third and last Filmfare Best Comedian award for Angoor.

#Chori Mera Kaam: Deven Verma played the role of a shady book publisher named Parveen Chandra Shah in the 1975 film directed by Brij. He won the Filmfare Best Comedian award for his perfect coming timing in the movie.

#Chor Ke Ghar Chor: Deven Verma played Parvinbhai in the 1978 film directed by Vijay Sadanah. The movie revolved around an idol that was stolen, found and stolen yet again. The goddess' wrath annihilates the thief's family. Years later, the idol is found and reinstated, only to disappear once again and never to be found again. Mr Verma won his second Filmfare award for his performance.

#Rang Birangi: Director Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Rang Birangi revolved around the troubled relationship between Ajay Sharma (played by Amol Palekar) and his wife Nirmala (played by Parveen Babi). Deven Verma played Ajay's friend Ravi, who creates an elaborate and complicated plot to revive the failing marriage and conscripts Ajay's secretary and her boyfriend into his grand plan. Utpal Dutt played the irascible Inspector Dhurindhar Bhatawerekar, out to foil the plot.

#GolMaal: In the hit 1979 Hrishikesh Mukherjee film, actor Deven Verma left everybody in splits playing the best friend of Ramprasad Dashrathprasad Sharma (Amol Palekar). His was a guest appearance but Mr Verma's performance was a standout in a film crowded with a stellar cast.

#Khatta Meetha: Deven Verma played the role of Dara in Basu Chatterji's 1978 film about a Parsi widower who decides to marry a Parsi widow much to the dismay and consternation of their respective children. Mr Verma played a son of marriageable age saddled with a dominating mother.

#Andaz Apna Apna: Deven Verma had a short but memorable role as actor Aamir Khan's character Amar's father in 1994's cult comedy. The conversation between Amar and his father explaining future plans is rib-tickling.