Satish Kaushik,

Satish Kaushik who passed away on March 9th, 2023, was a multi-talented individual in the Indian film industry. He was an actor, director, producer, comedian, and screenwriter. He rose to fame in Bollywood with his role as Calendar, a cook in the movie “Mr India” starring Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, and Amrish Puri. Additionally, he served as an Assistant Director on the film.

Early Life

Satish Chandra Kaushik was born on April 13, 1956, in Mahendragarh, Haryana. He completed his graduation from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University in 1972. Kaushik was an alumnus of both the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India.

Career

Satish Chandra Kaushik was a highly acclaimed film actor who garnered attention for his outstanding performances in various movies. He was particularly noted for his roles as “Calendar” in the iconic film “Mr. India,” “Pappu Pager” in “Deewana Mastana,” and “Chanu Ahmed” in Sarah Gavron’s acclaimed British movie “Brick Lane” released in 2007.

Kaushik’s immense talent and comic timing earned him the prestigious Filmfare Best Comedian Award twice, first in 1990 for his role in “Ram Lakhan” and then in 1997 for “Saajan Chale Sasural”. His exceptional performances and ability to effortlessly bring humor to his roles made him a beloved actor among audiences and peers alike.

theatre actor and playwright

Apart from being an accomplished film actor, Satish Chandra Kaushik was also a renowned theatre actor and playwright. He was well-known for his portrayal of “Willy Loman” in the Hindi adaptation of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, titled “Salesman Ramlal”. His powerful performance in this play was highly acclaimed and established him as a versatile actor.

Kaushik was also a skilled writer and wrote dialogues for the iconic comedy film “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron” directed by Kundan Shah in 1983. His ability to craft engaging and witty dialogues made him a sought-after writer in the industry.

As a director,

Kaushik made his debut with the film “Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja” in 1993, which starred the late legendary actress Sridevi. His second film, “Prem,” which was supposed to be Tabu’s debut movie, released in 1995 but failed to impress at the box office. However, Kaushik did not give up and continued to make films. He eventually tasted success with the 1999 hit movie “Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain.”

In 2009, Kaushik directed “Teree Sang,” which explored the sensitive topic of teen pregnancy. The movie starred Ruslaan Mumtaz and Sheena Shahabadi in lead roles and was appreciated for its sensitive handling of the subject.

Satish Kaushik co-wrote and hosted a television countdown show, Philips Top Ten, which earned him the Screen Videocon Award. He also directed the 2005 film Vaada, starring Arjun Rampal, Amisha Patel, and Zayed Khan. In 2007, he and his National School of Drama classmate Anupam Kher launched a new film production company named Karol Bagh Productions. Their first production, Teree Sang, was directed by Satish Kaushik.

upcoming projects

According to recent reports, Kaushik had been working on several upcoming projects. One of his planned works was a film based on the life of Tansen, with Abhishek Bachchan set to play the lead role of Tansen, and the soundtrack composed by Ravindra Jain. The script for the film was still being developed at the time of Kaushik’s passing. Additionally, he was dedicated to promoting the film industry in his home state of Haryana, and had plans to create multiple films there. Kaushik had also announced his decision to make a sequel to his successful 2003 film, Tere Naam, titled Tere Naam 2.

Kaushik’s involvement in Chandigarh film city project with Parsavnath Developers

Kaushik partnered with the real estate company Parsavnath Developers for the Chandigarh film city project, which involved buying a 30-acre (12 ha) plot in Sarangpur Village, Chandigarh. However, the project was marred by controversy and media reports of foul play, which eventually led to them giving up the project.

Personal Life and Death

Satish Kaushik married Shashi in 1985, and they had a son who died at the age of two in 1996. In 2012, their daughter was born through a surrogate mother.

On 9 March 2023, Satish Kaushik passed away due to a heart attack in Gurugram at the age of 66. His last Instagram post showed him celebrating Holi 2023 at the house of Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi.