If you are a movie buff, you would likely remember the hilarious phone conversation between Johnny Lever and Dinesh Hingoo in Baazigar or Paresh Rawal and Hingoo’s scene in Hera Pheri. Known for his impeccable comic timing, Dinesh Hingoo, who has appeared in nearly 300 films, once made audiences laugh effortlessly. Today, at 86, he continues to work, because life, as he says, still comes with financial demands.
A recent video of a fan interacting with the veteran actor has gone viral on social media. In the clip, Hingoo speaks about taking up work whenever opportunities come his way and the need to earn for medical expenses.
He said, “Jaata hoon kabhi kabhi, bulaya aaya toh. Doctor ke paas jaane ke liye maal chahiye. Doctor kabhi Rs 5000 mangte hai kabhi Rs 6000 (I go sometimes, if I’m called. You need money to go to the doctor. Sometimes the doctor asks for Rs 5,000, sometimes Rs 6,000).”
When the fan praised his body of work, Hingoo spoke about the financial struggles faced by character actors in the industry.
“Character artists ko lekin paise milte nahi hain zaada. I worked with black and white films with Bharat Bhushan. I started getting work after Qurbani. I have worked in Gujarati and Rajasthani movies (But character artists don’t get paid much. I worked in black-and-white films with Bharat Bhushan. I started getting work after Qurbani. I have worked in Gujarati and Rajasthani movies).”
Netizens react
As the video spread online, it prompted a wave of reactions across social media. One user wrote, “Time plays such strange games, doesn’t it? Someone who once made the world laugh, it’s painful to see him grow old like this.”
Another highlighted the harsh financial reality behind long careers in cinema, “It’s so sad—after doing so many films, if a person is still saying they aren’t paid enough.”
A third comment read, “Character artists are often left only with stories, not money,”
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Others expressed both admiration and sadness. “Respect… it breaks your heart to see such great artists suffer financially.” “Even after working in so many films, he doesn’t have enough money to go to the doctor—it feels bad. Such a fine artist.”
“It’s something to think about—an artist works in 300 films, yet there’s no guarantee of a secure future. They can’t save enough to live their old age comfortably. Side actors in the film industry don’t earn as much as we think,” read another comment.
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About Dinesh Hingoo
Born on April 13, 1940, in Baroda, Gujarat, Dinesh Hingoo, whose real name is Dinesh Hingorani, comes from a Parsi family. His journey into acting began during his college years, where he started performing in plays. Driven by his passion, he moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in films.
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The early years in the city were far from easy. Hingoo faced significant struggles before finding his footing with a Gujarati theatre company. It was here that he met noted playwright Chandravadan Bhatt, and together they worked on several stage productions.
He made his film debut with Taqdeer under Rajshri Productions, interestingly starting out not as a comedian but in a negative role.
Across decades, Hingoo worked in multiple languages, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, and appeared in over 300 films. His filmography includes memorable titles such as Namak Halaal, Karan Arjun, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Coolie No. 1, Gupt, Baazigar, Humraaz, Saajan, and No Entry. He also remained active in the 2000s with films like Phir Hera Pheri.
Beyond cinema, Hingoo also featured in several television shows, including those on Doordarshan.
