Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 30, 2018)

Mirror has learnt that Pankaj Tripathi, who was last seen in Amar Kaushik’s runaway hit Stree, has signed up to play the protagonist in a film directed by Satish Kaushik. The yet-untitled drama is based on a true incident and marks Kaushik’s return to direction four years after the comedy-drama, Gang of Ghosts. Pankaj has already shot for over 20 days in Uttar Pradesh, where the team is scheduled to camp for another fortnight.

“The story is based on the life of Bharat Lal aka Lal Bihari Mritak from Azamgarh, who fought a legal battle for 18 years to prove that he is alive. This film is an incredible journey of a person’s transformation from a common man and I can relate to the character,” Pankaj said, adding that he struggled for 14 years in Mumbai and it took him some time to understand independent cinema.

According to the actor, Kaushik had been following his work for many years. “Both of us are from National School of Drama and come from a similar theatre background. When he called me for the narration, I instantly fell in love with the story,” he informed, adding that he had seen his director in films since childhood, and his most favourite of the recent films is Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab.

What about playing a leading man? “It is a huge responsibility. At the same time, it is more of an opportunity for me to showcase my talent in a better way,” Pankaj pointed out.

The actor, who plays a farmer in the film, had been shooting for his turn as a South superstar in the Shakeela biopic. What was the transition between the two characters like? “I didn’t get enough time to prepare myself to play Bharat Lal but I gave my best shot,” he said.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 17, 2018)

Actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik had been battling weight issues for years now and finally having shed 25 kg is fit to play with his six-year-old daughter Vanshika. He’s also signed half-a-dozen big films as an actor, including Shaad Ali’s Soorma, Ashu Trikha’s Veerey Ki Wedding, Yamla Pagla Deewana 3 with the Deols — Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby, and Vipul Shah’s upcoming Namastey England. He admits he hasn’t felt this energetic in a long time.

Prod him on how the miracle happened and Kaushik informs that he discovered a doctor in Los Angeles, Christian Middelthon, whose prescribed diet helped him lose all the flab. Industry colleagues also inspired him. “I didn’t have a medical problem but even long walks at airports had become a problem and that would upset me. My energy levels had dipped after working without a break for 40 years. But today with the kind of films being made, you have to be fit to be seen in the same frame as GenX actors,” he points out.

Producer Guneet Monga who has lost a lot of weight too put him on to Christian while buddy Anil Kapoor would keep urging him to eat healthy. “Sonam would also keep nagging me and finally I decided it was time to fall in love with myself,” Kaushik smiles, adding that his biggest reward was when he went to Dubai recently and could run around with his young daughter in the park. “Now, if I feel tempted to eat something unhealthy, she stops me, saying, ‘Papa mat khao, dobara mote ho jaoge.’”

Kaushik adds that now it’s a ritual to walk for two hours every day. He has also completely cut out sugar from his diet. “People don’t recognise me anymore,” he beams, pointing out that he had come to Mumbai with just Rs 800 in his pocket. “It was tough to get into movies but I did it successfully. Now, I have passed the weight-loss test. It’s all about making up your mind.”
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Satish Kaushik to direct Pankaj Tripathi-starrer

Kaushik’s last directorial was Gang of Ghosts in 2014. Now, he’s making a comeback with a Pankaj Tripathi-starrer.

“It’s a true story of Lal Bihari Mritak, a weaver, who was declared dead in Uttar Pradesh in 1975. He fought for 18 years to prove that he was alive. He still uses ‘Mritak (dead)’ after his name and has formed an association of people declared dead and is helping them fight their case,” he informs.

The film is tentatively titled Main Zinda Hoon. Kaushik will shoot in Lucknow and Barabanki. “Pankaj loved the script, I’m waiting for paperwork to be completed,” he says.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 25, 2016)

Satish Kaushik is currently shooting for a film in Jharkhand and Allahabad. But he is also gearing up to return as a director with a biopic on an unusual man named Lal Bihari Mritak, a farmer from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, who was declared dead by the government for 14 years, before he could prove he was alive. Mritak, meaning the dead, was added to his name because of his official non-existent status.

Satish says he has been fascinated by the subject for years. “Can you imagine the plight of a man who must fight to prove he is alive? Can you imagine his unbroken spirit that kept him going for 14 years through his relentless pursuit of his identity?”

The filmmaker himself has been toying with the idea of a film on Lal Bihari Mritak for ten years. “Now is the time to make the film. Biopics no longer have to be about national leaders and well known achievers. Look at Sarbjit. It is about an ordinary Punjabi woman’s extraordinary courage to prove her brother’s innocence. Lal Bihari Mritak is also about a common man’s uncommon courage in validating his identity,” says Satish.

The film cannot be made with a big star. At one point, Satish wanted to make it with Abhishek Bachchan. “But then, he became a star. I’ve been thinking of casting Vicky Kaushal as Lal Bihari Mritak. But he is also a star in his own right after Masaan and Zubaan. I’ll now make the film with a completely new face,” informs Satish.