From VIP Frenchie to War... Chod Na Yaar, an ode to Dalip Tahil

In a country that boasts of so many films being released every year, it’s easy to go unnoticed. If you’re an actor, then it’s an all or nothing game: you could either be forgotten and missed time and time again, or you could be the one that people remember. Rarely does one come across acting talent that manages to do both, simultaneously.

Ladies and gentlemen, we’re talking about Dalip Tahil, one of Bollywood’s most loyal character actors who has, over the course of his almost four-decade long career, consistently brought joy and entertainment to audiences. And yet, he remains one who has perhaps not received the kind of fame and acclaim that is due to him.

Tahil’s talents are many and varied, as his Wikipedia entry shows. Wikipedia, the collaboratively produced free encyclopaedia that is the primary reason that any school project is completed these days, has been criticised for not providing objective perspective in its articles. However, we feel the entry on Tahil is a compelling example of why Wikipedia should never change. For how else would we know that Tahil created a record when he won the best actor award three times while he was a student at Sherwood College in Nainital, which is an elite institution (another nugget of information helpfully provided by Tahil’s Wikipedia page)? Daniel Day Lewis may have his Oscars and his nominations, but can he say he’s held up Sherwood College’s prestigious Kendall Cup? No.

Tahil does have a dedicated fan base to this day. If you look up YouTube, you will see that he was mobbed by the press when he attended the Mulund Festival. There is also a Dalip Tahil Fan Club, whose headquarters are located in Bandra. It currently has five members (one of whom lives in Malad) and they report Tahil sightings judiciously. “I was so excited when I spotted Mr. Tahil sir in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag,” said one member who had joined a hot yoga class only because Tahil had signed up for it. “How often can you look at someone who is playing Jawaharlal Nehru on screen and say, ‘I’ve seen him wearing nothing but tight, little red chaddis?’” The answer is, not often enough. The fan club’s unanimous opinion is that Tahil did yoga to get in character for his role as Nehru in Farhan Akhtar-starrer Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru’s fitness is well-documented and there is photographic evidence of his ability to do a headstand. Since the hot yoga class that Tahil had signed up for folded up soon after he joined, it cannot be confirmed whether Tahil can do a headstand.

However, it is worth noting that Tahil’s relationship with the tight chaddi goes way back to the 1980s, when he was the model for VIP Frenchie .

Tahil was a newcomer at that time and he immediately caught the nation’s attention with the ads that contained a hint of Superman: he had the visible underwear, but without the body suit (one can read into this a comment on the state of pre-liberalised India with its aspirations – the Superman-esque stance and underwear – and its disadvantages, i.e. the bare bodied and bare-legged Tahil).

Although there were certain obstacles that came in Tahil’s career – like, for instance, people thinking his name was Dilip instead of the more unusual Dalip. Rumour has it that if you go to Goregaon East, you can still find crazed producers who have been roaming the forest-y lanes near Film City looking to cast ’that Dilip Tahil’ – the actor did make a name for himself. Tahil’s first film role was in Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, in 1974, a few years before the VIP Frenchie ad. Right from the beginning he was clearly intent upon maintaining a balance between art and commerce.

Soon after the Frenchie ad, Tahil was offered a role in Shaan by Ramesh Sippy. From then on it was a relentless succession of varied roles that ranged from bit part to cameo, in which Tahil delivered the same expressions every time. If that isn’t consistency, we don’t know what is. For a masterclass in how to say the same thing over and over again and to dub in a seamless fashion, see this clip from Tarzan, in which Tahil displays his action, comedy and villainous potential.

Whether he was being slapped around by Tarzan (in Tarzan) or having his cheeks pulled by Sohail Khan (in Hello), Tahil maintains his gravitas and deep voice. These qualities have been internationally appreciated. Tahil has been spotted in a number of foreign films, including Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi and the Merchant Ivory productions of The Deceivers and The Perfect Murder. He was also an actor on the British soap, Eastenders, although he had to briefly disappear from the television show. As per his Wikipedia page,

“Dalip’s unscheduled absence from Eastenders was a result of an insufficient work permit application, which compelled him to appeal to the Secretary of State in the UK. Dalip was subsequently granted indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.”

Embodying the quintessential complete man, Tahil is not just about acting. Bringing to its karmic conclusion the musical journey that began with Tahil joining his school choir, he also has to his name a music album, Raaz ki Baatein . You can hear selections from the album, which sought to make available to one and all the experience of having Tahil somewhat quavery and off tune melodies in your ear. The album’s cover shows Tahil in his younger, more dashing days, wearing a white dinner jacket, a white bow tie, a red scarf and a moustache to underscore the manliness that is evident from his pose. If that didn’t get your hormones surging, Tahil is also a fan of Italian food as we can gather from this clip .

And if all this wasn’t enough to convince you of Tahil’s greatness, then allow us to point you in the direction of one of this week’s new releases, War…Chod Na Yaar in which he plays not one, not two, but four roles! Tahil plays four defence ministers of India, Pakistan, China and America in the film. “I think it is great for Tahil sir,” said one member of the Dalip Tahil fan club. “I am waiting for the day that he will play the entire United Nations.”