In 2020, filmmaker Satish Kaushik, who passed away in March 2023, floated the idea of revisiting the romantic saga Tere Naam (2003) for a sequel. Five years later, rumours in trade circles suggest that producer Sajid Nadiadwala is in advanced talks to acquire the franchise rights from Sunil Manchanda and Mukesh Talreja, the producers of the original.

Nadiadwala hopes to bring Salman Khan, who starred in the original, back for the second instalment. “Salman has heard about it. But nothing has been officially offered yet; he needs to see a workable script, budget, and the [division] of rights. He is not one to commit before clarity,” informs a source.

Discussions are in full swing. Nadiadwala “wants to own the IP for creative freedom”. The makers plan to position the sequel as a legacy revival, tying nostalgia with contemporary sensibilities.

“We will see a new lead pairing, depending on whether Salman takes on the original role or a newer avatar. Once the legal and financial packaging is done, they’ll lock in Salman and only then announce a director. A tentative script is being worked upon,” adds the source.

Akansha Ranjan is a producer’s daughter, an actress’ sister and best friends with Alia Bhatt, but she is certain about carving a path for herself in the film industry on her own. “Making a mark all on my own has a different kick to it! And I can feel it. Nobody can say that I had it easy or that anyone helped me,” says Akansha.

The fact that she is connected with the movie business is often spoken about. Whether it is her father Shashi Ranjan, who’s backing films, her sister Anushka Ranjan, who has been seen in films and series or her actor best friends. However, the actress makes it clear that she doesn’t use her connections to get work.

“My dad wanted to be an actor but unfortunately, he could not make it. He was in the same batch as David Dhawan, Satish Kaushik, Gulshan Grover and Shatrugan Sinha in Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and he is the only one who couldn’t make it as an actor. He knows that actors ke dost hone se kuch nahi hota hai and I have also learnt that. I have been friends with actors, but I never expected them to help me out in any way. I know my journey and my circumstances. I am familiar with failure, but I have never imagined seeking help from my friends in the industry. I want to be able to make it on my own,” she shares.

Akansha, who was seen in the web film Monica O My Darling, goes on to add, “I believe that someone else’s success is not yours. I am happy for all my friends for their success, and while I have waited in the green room clapping for them, it is my turn now. I believe it is my time to shine.” The actress will also soon make her Telugu debut.

On the personal front, rumour has it that Akansha is dating Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl director Sharan Sharma. Akansha admits, “Yes, I am in a relationship with Sharan. While I have not hidden the fact that I am dating him, I don’t like to discuss my personal life too much.”

“I find myself in a good space today,” says Sanjay Kapoor, who has recently been seen in a string of interesting OTT projects. The actor seems to be in a phase where he is reinventing himself with every new project that he is doing. He talks to BT about how it took him so long to get his due and how he feels about where he is.

Self-admittedly, Sanjay, who will soon be seen in Sriram Raghavan’s film ‘Merry Christmas’, is in the best phase of his career with the kind of work he is doing on the OTT medium.

He says, “OTT has ushered in a great phase not just for me, but for most actors. For one, age is not a bar. Secondly, it is not dependent on the hits you’ve given. It’s no longerki ye bikta hai toh agar ye theek bhi kar lega toh chalega. It is sheer hard work, experience, and talent that will get you good projects. It’s a change that we are seeing in the film (big screen) scenario as well. Today, content is king, and good content needs talented artistes. OTT has extended the longevity of an actor as well as films. In fact, it has revived the 90s for me.”

Sanjay was once dubbed ‘the oldest newcomer’ in Bollywood when his debut film, ‘Prem’, took six years to complete. He was 30 when his first film hit the big screen.

He recalls, “Shekhar (Kapur) was to direct it before Satish Kaushik took over. It didn’t happen for some reason, and I lost out on my prime years for no fault of mine. ‘Prem’ and ‘Raja’ were released a month apart in 1995, and people rejected ‘Prem’ as it was outdated. Hurdles and long waits can make you doubt yourself. It was tough to go through that phase, but that didn’t make me disillusioned or bitter because that’s not my personality. I take the good and the bad in my stride.”

The actor, who has been a part of projects like ‘The Fame Game’, the ‘Lust Stories’ anthology, the film ‘Bloody Daddy’ and ‘Made in Heaven 2’, adds, “When people ask me for advice for aspiring actors, I say, ‘Keep on working because nobody can take away your talent from you. I’m living proof of the fact that success in this field may take time. Also, don’t sell yourself short’.”

The actor is no stranger to the whims of showbiz, and the delay of his debut film was not the only time he saw his career slow down. “I often wonder why people didn’t sign me after my work started getting appreciated, especially after ‘Luck by Chance’ (2009). You don’t always have answers to these whys. A short film like ‘Lust Stories’ changed the game for me. I see my glass half full now,” he observes, adding, “How many actors have survived 30 years? Trust me, if you’re a 90s actor having done typical roles, it’s not easy to get a breakthrough in OTT. I got in because of my hard work, sincerity, and dedication. I was always on my toes and when I got the opportunity, I grabbed it with both hands. Many other actors who had started with me have faded into oblivion.”

One day, a message from filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar seemed to wipe away all the questions that Sanjay may have harboured about the numerous delays and hurdles he encountered throughout his Bollywood journey. “You are the most underrated actor ever,” read the filmmaker’s message to the actor after the release of ‘Bloody Daddy’. Sanjay says, “It feels great to hear this after 30 years!”

Hailing from the illustrious Kapoor family of Bollywood, Sanjay is aware of his place in the industry. He says, “I am not living in la-la land to think all projects shall be around me. I understand that not every project can be a ‘Fame Game’ that revolves around Madhuri (Dixit-Nene) and me. While I don’t live in a fool’s paradise, I don’t want to be a part of a project where I am not contributing anything, especially when things have come to me after such a long time. I am being a little careful and taking up interesting characters that stay with the audience for long.”

Ever since the death of his best friend Satish Kaushik in March, actor Anupam Kher has been making an effort to spend more time with the actor-filmmaker’s 11-year-old daughter, Vanshika. “Even before Satish’s death, I used to go to their place and talk to her a lot. But now, I go out of my way to spend time with her to make her feel that there is a father figure in her life. I can’t replace Satish in her life, nobody can. But I can certainly give her emotional strength,” he tells us.

On Friendship Day recently, Kher posted a picture with actor Anil Kapoor and Kaushik with the caption, “Missing Satish a little more today.” While the wound still feels fresh, he says in these moments with Vanshika, they both offer each other strength to cope. “Vanshika has lost her father at an impressionable age and I have lost a friend. She might not be able to express [her emotions] to her mother, thinking about her state of mind. She needs an outlet. I can’t bring Satish back, but I can relive our time together through conversations about him,” the 68-year-old adds.

Over the last few months, The Kashmir Files (2022) actor says he’s seen Vanshika “open up a bit more”. “She had become very quiet. Now, she tells me about her day, her friends and other stories about her life... My father used to say the easiest thing in the world is to make somebody happy. I just practise it,” he signs off.

Shabana Azmi was recently in Vadodara to attend a literature festival organised by a citybased university. At the event, she said, “Main ek writer (Kaifi Azmi) ki beti, writer (Javed Akhtar) ki biwi aur writer (Jan Nisar Akhtar) ki bahu hoon! I am often asked if I ever felt the urge to write. Toh main kehti hoon ki main unn ki inspiration hoon! Literature is the basis of all art forms.”

Shabana, who is all set to work with Prateik Babbar on a new film and was recently seen in a romantic comedy directed by Shekhar Kapur, says, “Working with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years was a great experience (the actress last worked with the director in his debut film, Masoom, 1983). We shot in London when the pandemic was at its peak and my family was quite worried. Shekhar went out of his way to ensure that everyone was happy on set. I was thrilled to work with Emma Thompson, whom I’ve always admired as an actress and activist. I believe an artiste’s job is not just to entertain, but also provoke. We followed strict protocol and completed the shoot in 40 days. I am glad that the film was received well.”

She adds, “The Hindi film industry has certainly changed for the better. Earlier, we would spend three months in pre-production and shoot a film for two years. Now, one year is spent in pre-production and the shooting is completed in a year. Many actors do just one project at a time and that allows them to work on transforming their look. Main humesha bolti hoon, Aamir Khan ke cupboard mein alag alag jism rakhe hue hai, jo woh utha ke pehen leta hai, when he starts a new film (laughs)!”

She adds, “Also, casting directors are playing a very important role by casting terrific actors from small towns and ensuring that we move away from stereotypical characters.”

The National Award-winning actress is happy with the way actresses are now getting to play central characters in movies on a regular basis. She says, “I love the fact that our actresses are now keen on doing roles where the film is centred around them. While doing such central characters, they often have to take a pay cut too and a lot of people might question, ki aisa kyun kar rahi ho? These actresses should think that by making this sacrifice, woh log raasta bana rahe hain, jahaan aage jaa ke there will be much-needed pay parity.”

Asked about the impact of OTT, she shares, “While I don’t know how long it will last, OTT has certainly changed the viewing patterns in a big way. So, while films that promise a big spectacle might draw audiences to theatres, people prefer to watch realistic films on OTT. ”

Talking about the trend of boycotting films on social media, Shabana says, “Yeh boycott wale bahut udd rahe thay, lekin Pathaan ki success ke baad chup ho gaye. Trolling doesn’t bother me at all. Most of these trolls don’t have even 10 followers. Toh woh jo bhi bakwaas kar rahe hain on social media, why should we bother about it?”

We shared a great bond with Satish Kaushik and it’s heartbreaking that he left us so early. Javed (Akhtar) saab humesha kehte hain, Satish ko log achha comedian samajhte hain, but he was so good in all kinds of roles. He was a fantastic human and I love that Anupam Kher decided to celebrate his life (by organizing a musical night on his birth anniversary).

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To celebrate and remember late actor and director Satish Kaushik’s life, an event was organised in Lucknow recently where renowned script writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar shared memories of the days he spent with the actor-director.

“Satish celebrated Holi at our home in Mumbai just a day before his demise. I was very close to him and he was like a younger brother to me,” said Akhtar.

Remembering the day he had met Kaushik, Akhtar said, “When I met him, he was an assistant director in the film Masoom. I had seen him before in the play Giddh. I saw Satish and asked who he was and I was told that he is a factory worker who also does plays. Later, I found out I was given wrong information. The person I had asked about Satish was his best friend who feared that Satish would get a better work opportunity so he told me that lie.”

Akhtar further added, “Satish was an exceptional person. I have never met a person like him in the industry. There was something so winsome about him and he proved this to whoever he met. You could see the love he got after he passed away. So many people paid their tributes to him.”

Talking about the person that Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Tere Naam director was, Akhtar said, “Satish was a simple man, he was smart. He was able to see through everybody. He understood everyone, even those who were his close friends. Unke bhi rang samjhta tha woh. But there was always some kind of forgiveness, large-heartedness and understanding in him. He was always smiling and had a tremendous sense of humour, but behind that there was a very serious and sensitive person. It saddens me that Satish’s story didn’t get completed.”

On March 9, actor and filmmaker Satish Kaushik passed away in Gurugram, after reportedly suffering a heart attack. His friends and colleagues from the film industry who remember him as ‘a great artiste and a greater human being’ are still reeling from the shock of his sudden demise.

On April 13, his close friend of many years, Anupam Kher, hosted a musical event to commemorate his birth anniversary. The event was attended by several celebrities who have shared a long association with the late actor. Guests included Subhash Ghai, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Chunky Panday, Poonam Dhillon, Rani Mukerji, Neena Gupta, Nadira Babbar, Vivek Agnihotri, Sonali Bendre, Johny Lever, Talat Aziz, Lalit Pandit, Udit Narayan, Shankar Mahadevan, and Papon.

At the event, there were musical performances interspersed by moments where his friends shared heartwarming memories of him. During Aditi Singh Sharma’s rendition of Hawa Hawai (Mr India), Anil Kapoor came on stage, shook a leg and paid a tribute to his dear friend.

The event wrapped up on a highly emotional note when Satish’s wife Shashi and daughter Vanshika came on stage to cut a cake and they were joined by others. Vanshika also read a posthumously addressed letter to her father, which deeply moved everyone. Satish Kaushik would have turned 67 on April 13.

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With memories, love, music and laughter, late actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik’s birth anniversary on Thursday, April 13, was an emotional yet wholesome celebration. A musical night was organised in his memory by his friend of four decades, actor Anupam Kher, with Satish’s daughter, Vanshika Kaushik, and wife, Shashi Kaushik, in attendance. While singer Armaan Malik sang Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon, which Anupam said was “Satish’s favourite song that he would hum all the time”, singer Papon sang Moh Moh Ke Dhaage (Dum Laga Ke Haisha; 2015).

Singers Udit Narayan Jha and Sadhana Sargam belted out their classic number Pehla Nasha (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar; 1991). Ghazal singer Talat Aziz and composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan sang the title track of Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003).

Vanshika reading aloud a letter she wrote to her father was the most emotional part of the evening, and a cake-cutting ceremony came next. A part of the letter read, “Hello Papa, I know that now you are no more but I want you to know that I will always be there for you. If I knew this was going to happen, I would miss school just to spend time with you. I wish I could have hugged you once.”

Another highlight was Satish’s close friend Anil Kapoor breaking into an impromptu dance on stage to Hawa Hawaii, a song from Mr India (1987), which co-starred him and Satish. Actor Shabana Azmi and her husband, lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar, spoke about their association with Satish and left the audience in splits with funny anecdotes. The one thing no person forgot to mention was the late actor’s smile and his positive attitude at all times.

Anupam told ANI, “Initially, I’d thought not to do it (the celebration). But around 4-5 days ago, Satish came in my dream and said, ‘Yaar, tu mere liye kuch nahin kar raha hai kya?’ So I decided to celebrate his life today.”

It is Satish Kaushik’s birthday today — the first that the late actor-filmmaker’s family is spending without him. It’s an especially tough time for Kaushik’s daughter, Vanshika, 10, who gave up using social media after her father’s death on March 9.

“In the past few days, she has broken down again and again. Yesterday, too, she cried a lot, and chachi ji had to put her to sleep. She has even made a card for him. She keeps saying, ‘Papa’s birthday has come, but he is not here’. Chachi ji, as a mother, is trying to be brave and being with Vanshika,” shares Nishant, Kaushik’s nephew.

In an attempt to stay strong and hold on to the good memories, the family have decided to be part of a special tribute ceremony being hosted by Kaushik’s close friend, actor Anupam Kher. “We’re walking into his first birth anniversary just one month after he passed away. It is a very difficult time for us,” adds Nishant.

At his get-together, Kher wishes to relive memories with the filmmaker. “He used to go and meet his friends — Anupam sir, Anil Kapoor sir, Boney Kapoor sir — during the day, and spend the night with his family. We’ll celebrate the life of Satish Kaushik,” reveals Nishant, who also worked with Kaushik, who would have turned 67, on many projects.

He adds, “The loss is hitting Vanshika now. The two had a special bond, as she used to wait for him to come back so that they could make videos together. The vacuum is really hitting her.”

The late Satish Kaushik and Shwetaabh Singh in Mirg

Director Tarun Sharma is experiencing mixed emotions as his debut feature film, Mirg, is in the final stages of post-production. While he is excited about the thriller nearing completion, he is heartbroken to not be able to share the joy with Satish Kaushik, who played a pivotal part in the Raj Babbar-starrer. The director says that he spoke to Kaushik only a day before his demise on March 9.

“Satish ji was eager to watch the movie and said, ‘Kuch ready hai toh dikha.’ I promised him that as soon as I completed post-production, I’d show it to him first. I wanted him to watch the film. That wish will remain unfulfilled,” says Sharma.

Mirg, which revolves around a heist gone wrong, has Kaushik play an alcoholic. Considering the late actor was also a prolific writer-director, Sharma recollects how he would go beyond his acting duties. “Satish ji was not an actor who shot his scenes and left. He could visualize where I was going with the narrative, and would discuss camera angles. He was even helping me get music directors on board.”

Kaushik’s years of experience and ability to understand the character’s crux made him a fine actor. The director recalls how the veteran actor added layers to his part. “Satish ji [suggested giving his character] a quarter bottle [of liquor] as a crutch. In any uncomfortable situation, the first thing he’d do is take his bottle out. Such nuances made the character more authentic.”

Sharma adds that he will pay homage to the late actor. “Satish ji will be given special credit in the film’s beginning, as a tribute.”

Veteran actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik’s untimely demise on March 9 left everyone in shock. Amongst many mourning his loss is Aasif Sheikh, who is popularly known as Vibhuti Narayan Mishra from Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai! The actor also feels fortunate that he got an opportunity to reunite with him for the upcoming film, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan 26 years after sharing screen space in Banarasi Babu (1997).

He says, “I was deeply saddened when I learnt of Satish ji’s demise. He was a lovely, easy-going and hassle-free person. He was also knowledgeable and had an impeccable understanding of cinema. I have immense love and respect for him.”

What made coming to terms with his passing even more difficult was that Aasif had to dub his lines for scenes in which he acted with the late actor-filmmaker. He recalls, “All my scenes are with him. While he completed his part of the dubbing, I had to delay my portion because of a tight schedule. I had to dub a few days after his passing, but I couldn’t muster the courage to dub my lines while watching Satish ji on screen. I finally completed it last week. I regret not being able to dub with him.”

He adds, “Satish ji was a warm person, never petty. He would talk only about good things and had a positive outlook on life. We were always together during the shoot, and he would share stories, anecdotes, and his experience. Bada mazaa aata tha unke kisse aur kahaniyaan sunne mein. He had an uncanny and unusual sense of humour, which became his signature style. But what struck me the most was his humility as a person. His simplicity was his most endearing quality. ”

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur is often credited with putting Indian cinema and makers on the international map with projects such as Bandit Queen (1994) and Elizabeth (1998). The latter had received seven nominations at the 71st Academy Awards and bagged the Best Makeup honour in 1999. As India won two trophies at the recently held Oscars, it’s only fitting to get his reaction to the same.

“I was waiting for this! After Elizabeth, I was waiting for other filmmakers to take it up, and thank God for that. It’s been years,” he says. 

Kapur adds that people should celebrate Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes equally for getting a nomination. “You shouldn’t discount All That Breathes from India didn’t win — a nomination is as good as a win. It’s a beautiful film,” he shares, adding, “So, two heartfelt documentaries (including The Elephant Whisperers) and a feature film like RRR (2022), have kind of taken the West by storm. It was an Indian melodramatic celebration of what we do best. Internationally, they have opened their arms [for Indian cinema],” shares Kapur.

He also addresses the much-debated aspect of the Academy giving in to popular demand. “It can’t be just art cinema; else it will fall by the wayside,” elaborates the director’s whose film What's Love Got To Do With It? starring Emma Thompson and Shabana Azmi is set for a release in India soon.

So, do we wait for global validation before recognizing our own talent at home? “It’s great to get an Oscar; suddenly the world knows about you, and you get [more] opportunities to work internationally. But I have constantly said that we don’t need validation. And nobody has proven it better than (filmmaker) S S Rajamouli. He has proved it through such an Indian way of making movies and made it so celebratory that the whole of the West is saying, ‘Look at this’.”

Reiterating the fact, Kapur recalls the time when Elizabeth was nominated in seven categories at the 1999 Oscars. “Everybody said, ‘Wow, look at this director’. I said, ‘Wait a minute, I am the same guy who made Bandit Queen, Masoom (1983) and Mr India (1987). Why am I suddenly this amazing director — because the West has come up and said, he is amazing?’,” says Kapur, asserting that validation can make an artiste try “to be who they are not”.

Kapur, who had directed the late actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik for the iconic character Calendar, in Mr India, shares fond memories of him. “People used to say, ‘Oh My God, if Shekhar is on a honeymoon, Satish will go with him’! That’s how people saw us,” he shares, adding, “Nobody knew that Satish was a brilliant mathematician as well! His death is such a loss; we have lost somebody who was yet to explore his potential, there was so much more.”

Satish Kaushik passed away last week after suffering a heart attack. Over the past few months, the actor-filmmaker was focused on his upcoming production, Kaagaz 2, starring Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar and him. While some wondered about the social drama’s fate after Kaushik’s demise, mid-day has learnt that the VK Prakash-directed venture is complete, with only the finishing touches remaining.

Like Pankaj Tripathi-starrer Kaagaz (2021), the spiritual sequel too will focus on how the common man’s needs are neglected by the system. With a clerk who loses his child, at the centre of the narrative, the drama will emphasize how the government needs to change its attitude towards human rights. Producer Ratan Jain says that the shoot was wrapped up in Lucknow last November.

“Satish had completed everything, and the post-production is almost over. Since the film was shot in sync sound, dubbing is not required. Background music is done, only mixing is left at this stage. Satish’s nephew Nishant is taking care of things. Our production house has been in the film business for many years. If anything was left, we could have completed it. The movie was largely shot in Lucknow, with a segment filmed at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun,” shares Jain.

The producer reveals that the team is planning a digital release for Kaagaz 2, and has initiated talks in this regard. “We are in talks with an OTT platform. We should get [a streaming partner] in the next two to three months. If someone wants to release it in the next 10 days, I am ready to deliver,” he smiles.

Kaushik planned to turn Kaagaz into a franchise, telling stories that highlight the common man’s socio-economic struggles. When the sequel had gone on floors in Lucknow last July, the actor-producer had spoken to mid-day, sharing his enthusiasm about the project (Satish Kaushik gets real, July 3).

He had said, “Kaagaz is about how a piece of paper can make a difference to someone’s life, where the common man gets neglected by the system and how he gets justice. In Kagaaz 2, I play a poor, self-respecting clerk who loses his child. [The story traces] how Anupam Kher and Darshan Kumaar, who play father and son, [help] me get justice.”

Extremely saddened and shocked” by the news of Satish Kaushik’s sudden death, actor Sanjay Kapoor mourned the loss and remembered the actor-filmmaker with a throwback photo from the sets of his debut film Prem (1995), which was directed by Kaushik.

“This picture is from the first schedule of Prem in 1990,” shares Sanjay, as he goes on to talk about his experience of working with Kaushik and the bond the two shared. “I knew Satish before Prem happened, as he was also a part of Mr India (1987; starring Sanjay’s brother, actor Anil Kapoor). We already had a really comfortable equation with each other. I feel fortunate that I started my career under his direction,” The Fame Game actor adds.

Calling Kaushik an “extremely hardworking man”, Sanjay recounts, “He was from theatre and when the director himself is an actor, it makes a huge difference because of the way he treats an actor, especially newcomers like me and Tabu (his co-star in Prem). Satish was always so patient in explaining the scenes and making us act.”

The 57-year-old goes on to share that Kaushik was very close to his father, producer Surinder Kapoor. “My father used to really like him and treat him like his own son. He used to come to our place to have vadi aaloo made by my mum. He was a big time foodie. This was before Prem and he was a young boy back then. Boney, Anil, Satish, me and of course Javed (Akhtar, lyricist) saheb being the mentor, formed a group and we were pretty close,” he wraps up.

Satish Kaushik (second from left) receives an award for dramatics at Kirori Mal College (KMC), New Delhi

“He came to the college to study science, but by the time he had left, it was to make a career in theatre. We see this a lot today, but Satish was one of the first to have done it successfully.”

Keval Arora, theatre critic and former staff advisor at Delhi’s Kirori Mal College (KMC) Players Theatre Society is speaking to us on the day when the news of veteran Satish Kaushik’s sudden passing at 67, has hit headlines. Arora, who took over in 1980 from Players founder Frank Thakurdas, retired from the position in 2022. It was here that Kaushik began his creative innings in 1972. Arora acknowledges Kaushik’s achievement as unique because he didn’t have too much going for him except talent and determination.

“No ‘looks’ for sure, and no family pedigree to open doors for him,” says Arora. Straddling both, an unforgiving film industry and Hindi theatre, Kaushik became a master at having the best of both worlds. He was equally famous for playing small, but hit roles in blockbuster films like Ram Lakhan and Mr India as carrying stage productions like Salesman Ramlal, an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s Death of Salesman, on his shoulders.

The college theatre society that was once the experimentation ground for legend Amitabh Bachchan, was one that Kaushik admitted he was indebted to too. “There’s a certain honesty and humility to a famous person who constantly acknowledges his or her roots. It would serve us all well to emulate this, and credit the people and institutions that shaped us. Satish’s generosity and equal interaction with young graduates from Players when he’d visit the campus reflected this mindset,” says Arora.

Director Manmohan Bhasin was Kaushik’s classmate in New Delhi’s Harcourt Butler School, and the two friends continued to be together as they made their way to KMC. “In 1972, when we joined KMC together, an inter-class competition was underway at Players. I decided to participate and wrote a play called Shatranj and shared it with Satish, who readily agreed to join in. This was the first play of our lives; we knew no place to rehearse so we all went to Buddha Jayanti Park. On the day of the competition, the hall was packed and the students were booing down most acts. Many groups were demoralized and the curtains were called halfway. I told Satish, we will continue through till the last scene despite the deafening hooting and flying tomatoes and paper planes. After the show, we hugged as if we had won the competition. It was our first lesson on stage, that the show must go on.”

Bhasin went on to direct a young Kaushik in several plays after and watched as the actor developed a unique style with perfect comic timing. “He called me a hard taskmaster. You know they say, har dost kamina hota hai. We were all trying to take our time on stage and make our presence felt while staying true to character. His sense of humour was the best and when he’d crack a joke, we used to tell him, ‘tu badi k*tti cheez hai’.”

For those who came after him and are now part of the Hindi film industry, Kaushik offered them hope. Himanshu Sharma, who wrote Tanu Weds Manu (2011) and Raanjhanna (2013), says that the theatre society was always full of stories of “seniors like Bachchan saab, Kulbhushan ji [Kharbanda] and Satish ji”. Sharma gives credit to the society for lending young students a perspective on life and team playing, while manifesting your individual vision.”

Actor Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, who we know from films like Article 15, says that he had no idea about The Players till he joined KMC in 2000. “I realized then that greats had been a part of this society. For me, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron was a standout movie, and that he [Kaushik] wrote the dialogues for it, made it even more amazing. With Players, we all learnt that when we went up on stage, we had to look beautiful. And by that I mean, the audience had to mesmerized by your [stunning] character.”

Ex-Player and actor, Sushant Singh of Satya fame, sums it well when he says, “For the lack of an equal gender word, I wil say that it was a brotherhood, and we all are better for it.”

In a file photo from 2017, Kaushik (centre) is seen at the KMC Alumni Meet to raise funds for the renovation of the Frank Thakurdas Memorial Auditorium. Pic/Getty Images

Friends Manmohan Bhasin (standing) and Satish Kaushik on stage

New Delhi: Ruling out any foul play in the death of Bollywood actor and director Satish Kaushik, Delhi police on Saturday said that his postmortem report stated that the manner of death was natural. According to a preliminary report, the death happened due to “cardiac arrest caused by coronary artery blockage associated with coronary artery disease”.

Additional DCP (southwest Delhi) Rajeev Kumar said that they had received in-formation about Kaushik’s death at 2.22am on March 9 from a Gurugram hospital.

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New Delhi: Delhi Police has ruled out any foul play in the death of Bollywood actor and director Satish Kaushik. He was declared brought dead at a Gurgaon hospital and his body was preserved in the mortuary for inquest proceedings.

“As per inquiry conducted so far, Kaushik, along with his manager, Santosh Rai, came to Delhi on March 8 at 10 am and stayed at the residence of his friend, Vikas Malu, at A-5 Pushpanjali in Bijwasan,” Additional DCP (south-west Delhi) Rajeev Kumar said.

Rai told the cops that they had celebrated Holi till 3 pm and then retired for rest. “There was no party at evening or night. Around 9 pm, Kaushik took dinner, and after walking, he went to his bedroom and watched some movie clips on his iPad,” Kumar said.

At 12 midnight, he called Rai, who was staying in the adjoining room, and complained about uneasiness and chest pain. He was taken to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

The house where Kaushik stayed had been thoroughly checked by the police. “Nothing suspicious or objectionable was found at the spot or from the room of the victim. Only some medicines were found,” Kumar said.

All witnesses who accompanied him were examined and their statements were recorded. CCTV footage from the spot was being examined. On March 9, a postmortem was conducted by a board of doctors at DDU Hospital and the body was handed over to the family, the police said. According to the autopsy report, the preliminary cause of death was cardiac arrest caused by coronary artery blockage associated with coronary artery disease and the manner of death appears to be natural.

A final opinion will be given after perusal of the histopathology study report of the heart and another from FSL on blood, said the officer.

Police are in touch with Kaushik’s family who have not voiced any suspicion about any foul play. During the inquiry conducted so far, nothing suspicious or any foul play came on record. However, police investigations under section 174 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) are on.

Farhad Samji directed late actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik in his ready-for-release web show Pop Kaun?, and had also been working with him for the upcoming film, the Salman Khan-starrer Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Owing to their close association of many years, the news of Kaushik’s death feels like a personal loss to the director.

“My association with Satish ji goes back 22 years, when I got my first break as a lyricist. It was a song for the film Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (2002), and Pappu Pager (played by Kaushik) was one of the characters in that song... Satish ji was the first person from the film industry who encouraged me,” the Housefull 4 director recalls.

Kaushik’s absence, the 48-year-old adds, will always be felt because of the kind of person he was. “He was so vibrant. Mahaul ko saja dene wale bande the. He would tell us his stories. When you know he is not here anymore, you don’t understand what’s life and what’s death,” he shares.

With Kaushik’s death, Samji says he didn’t just lose a colleague, but also a “father figure”. “Do saal se mera interaction unke saath bahut zyada tha. He has an important character in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, too. That’s why we were close for two years. He would guide me on how to work. He was kind of a father figure to me, telling me what’s right and wrong, and always wishing the best for me. Aaj woh nahin hain toh bahut khaalipan sa lag raha hai. We have lost a very good person,” Samji ends.

From Saajan Chale Sasural (1996) and Deewana Mastana (1997) to Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998) and Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) — director David Dhawan and late actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik’s association has given us many memorable films and characters. Remember Pappu Pager and Muthu Swami (Kaushik’s characters in Deewana Mastana and Saajan Chale Sasural, respectively)?

So naturally, Kaushik’s sudden death has left Dhawan shocked: “I can’t digest this news. He has a wife (Shashi Kaushik) and a young daughter (Vanshika Kaushik). I am feeling bad for them… he loved them a lot. Hum log har party mein saath hi rehte the — Kher saheb (actor Anupam Kher), main aur Satish.”

He adds, “Satish was a great friend and a superb actor. I worked with him on many projects. Besides comedy, he was also great at whatever role he played.”

Recalling how they would collaborate on different projects, the director shares, “I would just tell him, ‘Picture shuru kar raha hoon, tu kar raha hai?’ Baat khatam. There would be no narration. We would sit together and sab kar lete the. We had a lot of faith in each other’s work. He was an all-rounder. Set pe kamaal ka [mahaul] rehta tha. We would do masti-mazaak and start the shot.”

I was quite young then and wanted to see a film shoot. A common friend introduced me to Satish ji, through whom I got to visit the Versova set of Mr India. We became close friends after working together.

We collaborated on all his hit characters, like Mutthu Swamy (Saajan Chale Sasural) and Pappu Pager (Deewana Mastana). Even if you gave him two scenes, he would make them memorable. He would inspire you to do better work.

Over the years of working together on so many films, we became a family. Once, we were shooting in Bhopal, and I couldn’t rush back to Mumbai for my wife’s birthday. So, Satish ji arranged for her to fly to Bhopal and organised a surprise party for her. He also sang her a beautiful song.

Satish ji was such a lajawab person. He is one of those few people whose name brings a smile to the face. When you talk about him, you remember him fondly with a smile because he was such a positive person.

Satish Kaushik came to Bombay in August 1979 to become an actor. Pic/Twitter

We did seven films together, and it’s astounding that each character he played is remembered even today. From my friend Happy bhaiyya in Pardesi Babu (1998) to the contract killer Pappu Pager in Deewana Mastana (1997), and tabla player Mutthuswamy in Saajan Chale Sasural (1996) — whatever roles he played, he displayed great comic timing.

The last movie we did together, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), had my favourite Satish Kaushik character. He played Sharafat Ali, a famous dealer in Chor Bazaar. Nobody can compete with Mr [Amitabh] Bachchan when it comes to acting. But, in Bade Miyan, Satish ji’s comic timing with Bachchan ji and me was so on point, it almost seemed as if he was toying with us. His performance [and the way he wrote] the role was unparalleled.

Besides being a powerful actor, he was a very good writer, and wrote all his roles. He never interfered in other actors’ parts. I remember during the shoot of Deewana Mastana (1997), he had written his own scenes and dialogues for Pappu Pager [his character], even before I had arrived on the set. When I joined them on the set, I said, ‘This will not do, I will also add my lines [to my character].’ He was surprised on seeing the dialogues I wrote.

Satish ji respected that I wasn’t just an ordinary actor, that I could go beyond acting to [elevate the scene with my dialogues]. There are very few actors like him, who have the power to make each role unforgettable.

Satish ji was also a director, and he wanted to focus more on direction in recent times. He had come to meet me, and asked what kind of [roles] I would like to play in his directorial ventures. Over the last few years, we lost touch, but our connection — that was born from the warmth and camaraderie that we shared on and off the sets — remained. I was heartbroken to hear about his passing away. I am still unable to process the fact that he is no more.

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A still from Bade Miyan Chote Miyan

My friendship with Satish (Kaushik) began on the set of Swarg (1990), our first film together. Since then, I cast him in practically all my films. It became a habit. He felt a [sense of] ownership over me. If I started a film and he wasn’t starring in it, he would ask me, ‘Why isn’t my name included in this film? Are you not casting me?’

We enjoyed such a comfort level that he would call and say, ‘Tu ghar bulata nahin hai.’ I would immediately tell him, ‘Chal, aaja ghar pe.’ He would frequently visit my house. He was a very jovial person, and would crack jokes. With him, time passed by in a flash — eating and drinking together, and talking about movies.

Having written Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) with Sudhir Mishra, he was an expert in [writing comedy]. He would write the dialogues of his characters, and narrate them to me. His dialogues inevitably took the characters a few notches higher.

Pappu Pager [in Deewana Mastana, 1997] is one of Satish’s most iconic roles. He was present in barely a few scenes, but he worked on the character, ensuring that it became memorable. I remember on the day we were to shoot his scenes in Hyderabad, he said, ‘David yaar, mazaa nahin aa raha hai.’ So, I cancelled that day’s shoot. He promised, ‘Dekh main kya karta hoon’, [and reworked the lines]. Govinda also added his own lines with Satish.

When we finally filmed those scenes in Mumbai, they created wonders together, and Pappu Pager’s scenes became among the highlights of the film. When Anil Kapoor saw the scenes, he told Satish to write his dialogues too.

Whenever Satish came on the set, I was confident that the scenes would turn out fantastic. Govinda and he would rock it every time they faced the camera together. When Rohit [Dhawan, director-son] made his debut with Desi Boyz (2011), he cast Satish for the role of Mr Dhillon. Though he had only one scene with Akshay Kumar and John Abraham, he knocked it out of the park

Later, I suggested that Rohit use Satish, even if only as the voice of Qureshi in Dishoom (2016). I knew that he was so outstanding an actor that even with his voice, he would add value to the role. Satish was underrated as an actor, and deserved a lot more.