Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Jaaved Jaaferi and Naved Jafri have tweeted to express love and pride for their father, the later comedian Jagdeep.

Jaaved posted a lengthy note in memory of his father, who passed away at the age of 81 on July 8.

"My heartfelt thanks to all those who shared the pain of my fathers departure with so much love, appreciation, and regret. Itna pyaar..itni izzat..itni duaaein..? Yahi toh hai 70 saalon ki asli kamai.

"From 10 to 81,all he breathed and lived was film. After losing his father at 7 and losing everything else that existed of a good life after the partition, it was a head to head combat with poverty and survival on the footpath's of Mumbai. An 8 yr old with his mother thrown head first into the ocean. It was either sink or swim. So he swam. From working in small scale tin factories, to making kites, selling soap, to walking behind a Maalishwala holding his canister of oil and shouting ‘Maalish, tel maalish'. At 10 yrs of age what destiny choose for him, as the light at the end of the tunnel, was cinema," Jaaved wrote on Twitter.

He also went down memory lane and spoke of his father's contribution to Indian cinema.

"The journey began with #BRChopra sahab's first film ‘Afsana' (shot in ‘49 but released in 51)and as the adage goes ‘a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step', there was no looking back. His father figures and guide's were the likes of BimalRoy, GuruDutt, MehboobKhan, KAsif. From the most natural child actor I have witnessed in Hindi cinema to a sensitive leading man, to the craziest improv comedian with impeccable timing in latter years, he never failed to entertain and amaze," he wrote.

Jaaved also recalled the lessons he learnt from his father .

"A father who taught me the values of life, the lessons of poverty, the importance of dedication and the finesse of craft, with innumerable stories of positivity and inspiration. Always smiling, with words of encouragement for all, and reminding me that true success is gauged by what one ‘is' and not what one ‘has', and by ‘what' one knows and not ‘who' one knows. What a man,what a journey," he beamed with pride.

Jaaved concluded his post with his favourite couplet.

"Woh manzil kya, jo aasaani se teh ho; Woh raahi kya, jo thak kar baith jaaye. Magar afsos zindagi kabhi kabhi thak kar baithne per majboor kar deti hai. Hausla bulund hota hai par jism saath nahi deta.

"To the man I called ‘papa' and who the world knew by his various avatars, SALAAM !!!
Aapka naam Sooorma Bhopali ayysaee naee tha," He wrote.

The late Jagdeep is best known for his role of Soorma Bhopali in blockbuster "Sholay" (1975). New-generation Bollywood buffs would recall him as Salman Khan's father in Rajkumar Santoshi's "Andaaz Apna Apna" (1994).

Jagdeep's younger son Naved Jafri also paid a tribute, sharing a childhood picture with him.

"I have never seen anyone breathe his last,dad was the first,the whole family was with him when he passed away. Jeete jeete izzat se jeena sikha gaye,jaate jaate jaane ka tarika bhi.Humility and humanity was all that he imbedded in our hearts.God is the greatest. Miss you. #JagdeepSahab," Naved wrote.

--IANS sim/vnc