Satish Kaushik: Film industry's 'Hardy', his comic timing will be missed

Tribune News Service

Just a day after Holi, the news of Bollywood personality Satish Kaushik’s demise cast a pall of gloom on the industry. The actor, writer, director and the National Award-winning producer, Kaushik died at the age of 66 on Wednesday in Gurugram.

Had Offered to marry Neena Gupta

In an emotional video, Neena Gupta shared how their friendship goes back to college days in Delhi. Satish called her ‘Nancy’ and she used to call him ‘Kaushikan’. He had offered to marry her when she was pregnant with Masaba.

Born in Mahendragarh, Haryana, the “Mr India” actor graduated from Kirori Mal College, Delhi, in 1972. He was an alumnus of National School of Drama and Film and Television Institute of India.

Amiable and amicable, his reel parts reflected his real life persona. One could sense a twinkle in his eye and ring in his voice even over telephonic conversations as he was invariably accessible to one and all.

In over four decades in the industry, he was part of films like ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’, ‘Deewana Mastana’, ‘Swarn’, ‘Jamai Raja’ and ‘Udta Punjab’. He also acted in web series ‘Bloody Brothers’, ‘Scam 1992’, ‘Karm Yuddh’ and ‘Guilty Minds’ and will also be seen in Raj and DK’s ‘Guns and Gulaab’.

He started writing dialogues in 1983 with Kundan Shah’s cult comedy ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’. As a director, he helmed ‘Roop Ki Rani,Choron Ka Raja’, ‘Tere Naam’, ‘Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai’ and ‘Kaagaz’ among others.

In 2021, his Haryanvi film ‘Chhoriyan Chhoron Se Kam Nahi Hoti’ won Best Feature Film in Haryanvi Language at the 67th National Film Awards. Kaushik was also Chairman, Haryana Film Promotion Board, and Vice-President, FTII Society.

He also prepared Haryana film policy ensuring that new artistes also get a chance.

His demise is mourned by scores of his industry friends. He was always a friend’s friend and friend in need. In an emotional video, Neena Gupta shared how Kaushikan (as she calls him) had a heart of gold who offered to marry her when she was pregnant with Masaba.

As tributes continue to pour in, his ‘Mr India’ co-star Anil Kapoor puts it best, “The Laurels of the industry have lost their Hardy.”

But his innumerable comic parts will forever make us smile. For all we know, he could already be smiling in heaven.

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