Viju Khote
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A brief profile
Avijit Ghosh, Oct 1, 2019: The Times of India
Actor Viju Khote was best remembered as the hapless dacoit at the receiving end of the mockingyet-menacing query of his boss Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan), “Tera kya hoga Kalia?” in Sholay.
Khote was a familiar presence in Hindi cinema over five decades, performing tiny parts in over 400 films and several TV serials and plays. He had the knack of bringing a soupcon of humour even to negative roles as in Paanch Qaidi. Filmgoers also remember Robert of Andaz Apna Apna who repeats the funnily inane line, “Galti se mistake ho gaya”.
“He was talented, noble, intelligent and jovial,” said fellow comic actor Paintal, who worked with him in several movies such as Kacche Heere.
In a 2015 phone interview when Sholay turned 40, Khote had told this reporter that the temperamental horse he rode for the film threw him off at least six times. The fees for his aches and bruises was just Rs 2,500. Fortunately, he did not break any bones. “Those days the muscles were harder,” he had joked.
The role became Khote’s national identity card prompting recognition for life. The actor, also brother of comedy star Shubha Khote, recalled shooting for about 10 days for the film on the outskirts of Bangalore. But he had only two scenes and three dialogues in director Ramesh Sippy’s action epic. Two of his lines were: “Aao Thakur aao, abhi tak zinda ho”, and “Suno, Thakur ne hijron ki fauj banayee hai”. The third dialogue is just an anguished, “Sss sardar, maine aapka namak khaya, sardaar,” to which the maniacal Gabbar says, “Ab goli khaa.”
But Khote displayed his acting chops in the way he laughs after getting, what turns out to be a temporary reprieve. His transition from a petrified dacoit to someone who just can’t believe his luck is pitch perfect. It is not an easy scene but Khote gets it just right.
