Dalip Tahil revisits his 'Champ' days as 'Jalwa' turns 39

Veteran Bollywood actor Dalip Tahil took a nostalgic walk down memory lane as the 1987 film 'Jalwa' completed 39 years since its release.

Marking the occasion, the actor revisited his days from the film, calling his iconic menacing character named Champ a "phase". The character gained the spotlight for its attitude and became one of the defining performances of Tahil's career in the late 1980s.

"It was a phase... #39YearsOfJalwa," he wrote as the caption.

Dalip's character 'Champ' was a flashy, confident and street-smart character who embodied the swagger of the era.

'Jalwa' was directed by Pankuj Parashar. The film stars Naseeruddin Shah and Archana Puran Singh. It is an unofficial remake of the 1984 American film 'Beverly Hills Cop.' It was remade in Telugu as 'Trinetrudu' in 1988 by A. Kodandarami Reddy, starring Chiranjeevi.

The film followed the story of Kapil, whose brother dies from drugs, prompting him to join the police. His friend Albert is killed in Goa. Kapil travels there, faces local police opposition. He goes rogue, evading authorities and goons, to uncover the truth behind Albert's death.

Born in 1952, Dalip is best known for his work in films such as 'Baazigar,' 'Raja,' 'Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke' and 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak', 'Pyaar Ki Miss Call' along with actor Gaurav Prateek. In the UK, he appeared in the BBC soap opera 'EastEnders' as Dan Ferreira, the head of the Ferreira family, from June to December 2003.

On the film front, he was most recently seen in 'Kuberaa' directed by Sekhar Kammula. It stars Nagarjuna, Dhanush, Rashmika Mandanna and Jim Sarbh.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”