At 65, his inner child was alive, friends pay tribute to actor Jaswinder Bhalla

Of the many roles, Punjabi comedian’s Ludhiana-based friends say the one he played best was staying true to himself for he stayed grounded despite the fame cinema brought.

Veteran Punjabi actor Jaswinder Bhalla, who passed away in Mohali on Friday, is fondly remembered by friends as a man who carried an extraordinary gift, the ability to keep his inner child alive even at the age of 65.

Punjabi actor Jaswinder Bhalla with his friends Gurbhajan Singh Gill (in yellow turban) and Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) professor Mann Singh Toor (standing behind) in Ludhiana. (File photo)

From Kaddon village near Doraha to the lecture halls of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and later to Punjabi cinema where he became a household name, Bhalla lived many roles. Yet, his friends say the role he played best was staying true to himself — a man who never let his inner child fade.

Poet Gurbhajan Singh Gill, his close friend for over five decades, said this quality defined Bhalla both on and off the screen. “He had the rare innocence of a child combined with the wisdom of a man his age. Despite all the fame and limelight, he stayed grounded, mischievous, playful, just like the characters he portrayed. That is why people of every generation connected with him,” Gill said.

“Punjab has lost a star, but I have lost a companion, a son and a friend. He never let life’s burdens weigh him down. That’s why, even at 65, he could laugh, joke and spread cheer like a boy,” Gill said.

Former deputy inspector general of police Gurpreet Singh Toor, who was Bhalla’s classmate during his BSc days, said the actor’s unpretentious personality left people awestruck far beyond Punjab. “When we travelled to Uttar Pradesh, at roadside dhabas and railway crossings, crowds would gather just to see him. He greeted everyone with the same boyish smile. He made strangers feel like friends,” Toor said.

“He was not keeping well for the past few months and had lost his memory, too. Around two months ago, the family brought him to Ludhiana, as he wished to see his friends. I was overwhelmed to see him remember our college days despite his health condition,” he said.

Ludhiana-based dentist TP Singh, who knew him for 20 years, remembered how Bhalla turned even clinic visits into moments of joy. “People queued up not for treatment but to take selfies with him. And he never said no. His patience and playfulness made him special,” Dr Singh said.