Jackie Shroff honours Achyut Potdar, wishes Gulzar on 92nd birthday
Synopsis
On 18 August, Jackie Shroff did something quietly moving — in a single day, he mourned and celebrated. A rare candid photo with the late Achyut Potdar and a birthday post for the 92-year-old Gulzar captured two very different legacies: a character actor who entered films at 44 after the Army and Indian Oil, and a poet-filmmaker whose words have defined Hindi cinema for over six decades.
Key Takeaways
Jackie Shroff paid tribute to late actor Achyut Potdar on his first death anniversary, 18 August 2026 .
Potdar passed away on 18 August 2025 at the age of 91 , having entered Hindi cinema at 44 with Aakrosh (1980).
Before acting, Potdar served in the Indian Army (retiring as Captain in 1967 ) and worked at Indian Oil Corporation for nearly 25 years .
He is widely remembered for the 'Kehna kya chahte ho?' line from Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots .
Poet-lyricist-filmmaker Gulzar turns 92 on 18 August 2026 ; Shroff also shared a birthday tribute for him.
Gulzar, born Sampooran Singh Kalra in 1934 , began his career with Bimal Roy's Bandini in 1963 .
Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff marked two significant occasions on 18 August 2026 — paying tribute to the late veteran actor Achyut Potdar on his first death anniversary, and extending birthday greetings to legendary poet, lyricist, and filmmaker Gulzar, who turns 92. Both gestures, shared on Shroff's social media, drew warm responses from fans and the film fraternity.
Remembering Achyut Potdar
Shroff posted a rare photograph alongside Potdar, capturing a candid moment between the two actors — Shroff leaning close, appearing to whisper something in Potdar's ear. Alongside the image, Shroff wrote, 'This pic with Achyut ji will always be in my heart.' He also shared a video clip featuring the late actor.
Achyut Potdar passed away on 18 August 2025 at the age of 91. His life before cinema was remarkably varied: he worked as a professor, served in the Indian Army, retiring as a Captain in 1967, and spent nearly 25 years with Indian Oil Corporation before retiring in 1992. He entered Hindi cinema only at the age of 44, debuting in director Govind Nihalani's Aakrosh in 1980.
A Career That Defied Convention
Despite his late start, Potdar built an extensive filmography that spanned decades. His credits include Ardh Satya, Tezaab, Parinda, Rangeela, Ishq, Vaastav, Hum Saath-Saath Hain, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, and 3 Idiots, alongside a substantial body of work in Marathi cinema and television.
For younger audiences, Potdar is perhaps best remembered as the professor in Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots, whose brief classroom exchange with Aamir Khan's character produced the now-iconic line, 'Kehna kya chahte ho?' — a phrase that went on to become a widely circulated internet meme. It is a testament to Potdar's screen presence that a single scene could define a generation's memory of him.
Gulzar Turns 92
Shroff also shared a birthday tribute for Gulzar, born Sampooran Singh Kalra on 18 August 1934. One of the most enduring voices in Hindi cinema and Urdu poetry, Gulzar began his career as a lyricist with Bimal Roy's Bandini in 1963, collaborating with music director S.D. Burman.
As a director, Gulzar helmed films including Mere Apne, Koshish, Parichay, Achanak, Aandhi, Khushboo, Mausam, Kinara, Angoor, Namkeen, Ijaazat, and Lekin. His songwriting has produced some of Hindi cinema's most beloved compositions, among them Mera Kuchh Saamaan, Tere Bina Zindagi Se, Musafir Hoon Yaaron, Aanewala Pal, Do Deewane Shehar Mein, and Chaiyya Chaiyya.
A Day of Remembrance and Celebration
That both Potdar's death anniversary and Gulzar's birthday fall on the same date lent Shroff's posts an unusual emotional range — grief and celebration in the same breath. Both figures represent a generation of artists whose contributions to Indian cinema extended well beyond mainstream recognition, and Shroff's tributes serve as a reminder of the depth of those legacies.
Point of View
Taught in classrooms, and clocked decades at a public sector corporation before becoming one of Hindi cinema's most recognisable character faces. That his most viral moment came from a single classroom scene in 3 Idiots underscores how thoroughly the algorithm now curates memory: a career of 40-odd films reduced, for many, to one meme. Gulzar at 92 presents the opposite problem — a body of work so vast that any single tribute risks underselling it. Both men deserve more than a social media post, however heartfelt.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Achyut Potdar and why is he remembered?
Achyut Potdar was a veteran Hindi and Marathi cinema actor best known to younger audiences for his role as the professor in Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots , whose line 'Kehna kya chahte ho?' became a popular meme. He had a filmography spanning over four decades that included Aakrosh , Ardh Satya , Parinda , and Lage Raho Munna Bhai .
When did Achyut Potdar pass away and how old was he?
Achyut Potdar passed away on 18 August 2025 at the age of 91. His first death anniversary falls on 18 August 2026.
What did Achyut Potdar do before becoming an actor?
Before entering Hindi cinema at the age of 44, Potdar worked as a professor, served in the Indian Army — retiring as a Captain in 1967 — and spent nearly 25 years with Indian Oil Corporation, from which he retired in 1992. He made his film debut in Govind Nihalani's Aakrosh in 1980.
How old is Gulzar in 2026 and what is he known for?
Gulzar, born Sampooran Singh Kalra on 18 August 1934, turns 92 in 2026. He is one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated poets, lyricists, and filmmakers, with a career spanning over six decades that includes films such as Aandhi and Ijaazat , and songs like Chaiyya Chaiyya and Musafir Hoon Yaaron .
How did Jackie Shroff pay tribute to Achyut Potdar?
Jackie Shroff shared a rare candid photograph with Potdar on social media, writing 'This pic with Achyut ji will always be in my heart.' He also posted a video clip featuring the late actor on Potdar's first death anniversary, 18 August 2026.
