Punjabi king of comedy Jaswinder Bhalla ‘never followed the script, only his intuition’

Bhalla’s portrayal of Advocate Dhillon in Carry On Jatta became iconic because of his sharp satire, comic timing, and one-liners. Kang described him as the 'soul' of the franchise.

Jaswinder Bhalla as Advocate Dhillon in Carry On Jatta 3 | Youtube

New Delhi: Punjabi actor Jaswinder Bhalla died at a private hospital after a brain stroke in Mohali on Friday morning. He was 65 years old. Close friend and filmmaker Smeep Kang said that Bhalla had been unwell for over a year but had recently shown signs of recovery.

Bhalla was a prominent figure in Punjabi comedy, having featured in some of the industry’s biggest hits like Mahaul Theek Hai, Jatt & Juliet, Mel Karade Rabba, and Power Cut.

“I visited him last month, and he was recovering well. We were discussing doing the fourth instalment of Carry On Jatta. I am shocked. Haven’t processed it yet,” Kang told ThePrint.

Kang collaborated with Bhalla on over a dozen films, including the popular Carry On Jatta series. Bhalla’s portrayal of Advocate Dhillon became iconic because of his sharp satire, comic timing, and one-liners. Kang described him as the “soul” of the franchise.

“Carry On Jatta became a cult classic largely because of him. No one could have played Advocate Dhillon the way he did. He was the heart and biggest contributor to the series,” Kang said.

Actor Yuvraj Hans, who shared the screen with Bhalla in Mr and Mrs 420 and Munde Kamal De, is also struggling to accept the news.

“He was the most fun-loving person on the set. His dedication to his work was both admirable and inspiring,” he said.

Hans, who had also seen Bhalla recently, echoed Kang’s sentiments.

“We never saw this coming,” he added.

 King of comedy 

In addition to his role as Advocate Dhillon in Carry On Jatta, his portrayal of Inspector Tiwana in Diljit Dosanjh’s Jatt & Juliet is widely regarded as one of the finest comedic performances in Punjabi cinema.

Kang noted that Bhalla’s iconic characters weren’t the result of last-minute preparation.

“He didn’t wait to get on set to start working. He began shaping his character and improvising right after reading the script. He would often call at night with ideas of adding more layers and nuances to his characters,” he added.

Bhalla also penned his own dialogues and frequently improvised during shoots, elevating the scenes. He would also help his co-stars.

“Sir (Bhalla) never followed the script; he followed his intuition and understanding of the audience. His goal was always to make people laugh,” said Hans, who saw Bhalla as a father figure and mentor.

Bhalla’s comedy never sparked controversy or backlash. Filmmaker Smeep Kang credits this to Bhalla’s deep understanding of people across social and cultural spectrums.

“He knew exactly what to say, how to say it, and when to stop,” Kang said.

Beyond his success in cinema, Bhalla was also a respected academic. He held a PhD in Extension Education and headed the Department of Extension Education at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) before retiring in 2020.

“Sir (Bhalla) never gave up his teaching career. He managed both films and his job with equal dedication, without compromising on either. That shows just how disciplined he truly was,” Kang said.

(Edited by Theres Sudeep)