Perhaps one of the most tolerant and accommodating communities in India, Parsis have often been at the receiving end of humour. And if there’s someone who has cashed in maximum moolah by adding a Parsi flavour to their products, it’s undoubtedly Bollywood. Over the years, we have seen innumerable bawas making us laugh from behind their vintage wheels. On the eve of Navroze, we go back in time to remember some of the most memorable Parsi characters in Hindi cinema.

Katy - the lusty old woman

Till Katy happened to her, Dimple Kapadia was one versatile actress who had always played it morally correct. Even in movies like Pyar Mein Twist and Dil Chahta Hai, her characters that fell in love at an older age continued to be full of dignity. But with her role in Being Cyrus, Dimple finally shed all her inhibitions. Playing wife to Naseeruddin Shah, Katy came across as an emotionally insecure Parsi woman in her 40s who kept looking for love in between bed sheets, sometimes with her brother-in-law and sometimes with her husband’s young student. What distinguished Katy from other sluttish characters in Bollywood was her emotional vulnerability and the fact that it was transparent to the audiences.

Bollywood’s best ‘bawas’

Parzan - the innocent victim Never before had a child actor conveyed so much through his role. But Parzan Dastur, the boy who has been a regular in TV commercials, carved a special place in our hearts with his performance in Parzania. Based on the Gujarat communal riots, the film saw Parzan as a bright young Parsi lad, full of dreams and aspirations for the future and perhaps, the most ideal son any couple could ever have. What his running images on the big screen couldn’t convey, his victimization in the riots did. With his death, he introduced each one in the audience with the pain and angst that comes along with communal riots and haunts people for a lifetime. Bollywood’s best ‘bawas’ Farokh - the stereotyped businessman A role that saw Boman Irani in one of his best acts ever, Farokh Sethna simply knocked everyone off their chairs. A 40-something rich Parsi man who had his tempers flying all around, Farokh’s character was highly volatile but not at all filmy. Dominating, greedy and indifferent to his family, Boman’s character could easily bear resemblance to real-life. But what made it unforgettable was the way it used humour as a tool rather than as the output to deliver a mind-blowing act. While this was Boman’s first try at playing a Parsi, the actor will soon be seen replicating the act for an English film titled Little Zizou. Bollywood’s best ‘bawas’ Nargis - the doting homemaker Perhaps one of the most beautiful films ever made about family bonding, Khatta Meetha is an all time classic. Directed by Basu Chatterjee, Pearl Padamsee aka Nargis can be called the protagonist of the multi-starrer movie. A single mother with three children, Nargis effortlessly portrayed what love and family bonding can do to change lives. Not only did she stand out as a fantastic homemaker who never accepted defeat, Pearl also became a source of inspiration for single mothers to consider a second marriage. The manner in which Nargis understood and loved her obese daughter Freni, college-going son Firoze and her step-children Jaal and Fali was parenting personified.