Satish Kaushik

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Satish Kaushik joined cinema as he wanted his name to appear in media As a child Satish Kaushik was the most ignored child in his house and most ugly looking in his school. Hence he was upset. One day, at the young age of 8 years, he told his father that he wanted to become famous and his name should appear in media. His father told him to focus on what he likes most and develop it into a passion. Satish Kaushik took his father’s words to his heart. He was passionate about acting and began focusing on dramatics. Eventually his hard labor paid fruits and Satish Kaushik won stardom when he did a mono-act play in his school annual gathering in class IX. He got a standing ovation from the audience and echoing applause of claps in the auditorium encouraged him to take theatre as his career. After class X he joined Delhi’s famous Kirori Mal College, which has the reputation of encouraging dramatics and has produced many actors, most famed being none other than the star of millennium –Amitabh Bachchan. When Satish Kaushik was at the college his dramatics teacher Professor Frank Thakurdas was highly impressed by Satish Kaushik’s acting potential hence when he was leaving college, on the send-off day, Prof Frank recommended Satish Kaushik to take-up acting as his career. Frank Thakurdas also handed him a recommendation letter to National School of Drama (NSD) and wished Satish Kaushik good luck. Satish Kaushik also did sweeping to survive in Mumbai After acquiring his degree from NSD, Satish Kaushik did another six months course in filmmaking at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and then came to Mumbai on 9 August 1979. Since he was a stranger in Mumbai hence he had to struggle for survival. After hunting film studios for a month, Satish Kaushik realized that he has to take-up a job to survive or life would become difficult. Hence he joined D'décor textile company in a suburb in Mumbai at a paltry salary of Rs 400/- a month. It was sufficient to pay his house rent and have two meals a day. The first day at work, he had to sweep the room and clean the dust on yarn bundles. He did feel a pinch but he did the job with a heavy heart. Meanwhile he continued struggle and did theatre in the evening. One evening Satish Kaushik’s boss happened to watch his play Bichchoo at Prithvi Theatre. In this play he worked opposite top actors Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. His boss was overwhelmed by Satish Kaushik wonderful performance. Next morning when Satish Kaushik reported to work, his boss called him in his room and complimented him for his excellent performance in the play. Incidentally his boss had good contacts with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and he recommended Satish Kaushik to him. Thus began the journey of Satish Kaushik in cinema. He joined Shekhar Kapur as his fourth assistant and soon graduated to become his second assistant due to his brilliance and passion for cinema!

Satish Kaushik had arranged marriage Satish Kaushik had arranged marriage with Shashi. Soon after her marriage Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was complete and a glittering premier was held in Mumbai. Satish was very happy, almost on sky nine because his wife was also pregnant. But alas when Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was released it was declared a big flop on day one! To add salt to injury, a few days later Satish’s new born son too died. Satish was plunged into grief. He was to commit suicide but Mahesh Bhatt infused confidence in him narrating his failure debut. Satish understood and few years later, thing changed. His career blossomed and God bestowed Satish with a baby girl, though after 15 years gap!

Javed Akhtar explored the actor in Satish Kaushik Though Satish Kaushik began as an assistant to Shekhar Kapur in Masoom but when Shekher started Joshilaay, he met Javed Akhtar and Anil Kapoor for the first time. Javed Akhtar boosted Satish Kaushik’s confidence and explored the actor in him by penning some fantastic characters that helped Satish Kaushik to make his foothold in Bollywood. Javed Akhtar wrote few memorable roles such as Calendar in Mr India and Batuk Lal in Sagar. Both these roles helped Satish Kaushik to win many more poplar roles like Muththu Swamy in Saajan Chale Sasural and Pappu Pager in Deewana Mastana which made him a star comedian in Bollywood. Some of his memorable roles as actor in Bollywood are Ram Lakhan (Kashiram), Swarg ( Airport/Adda/Chaddha), Jamai Raja (Bankhe Bihari Chaturvedi aka BBC), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (Sharafat Ali), Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (German) and the recent hit film Dishoom in which as Quershi (Voice Only) he has proved he can create humor with just his voice! Further as Tayaji in Udta Punjab he has won huge applause. Satish Kaushik was shattered at the failure of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja It is true that Satish Kaushik won fame more as an actor than as a director but having assisted Shekhar Kapur he was desperate to direct films. Lady luck smiled on him as Shekhar Kapur abandoned Boney Kapoor’s ambitious films - Prem and Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and went abroad. Since Satish Kaushik was his second assistant and a very good friend of Boney Kapoor and Anil Kapoor hence both expressed trust in Satish’s capabilities and asked him to complete the film. Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was a huge film designed on the lines of Mr. India and huge money was invested into sets and publicity. The movie was started soon after Mr. India but got delayed hence the movie failed miserably and is regarded as the biggest debacle of Bollywood. Similarly Prem was delayed and was huge flop. With 2 flops, Satish Kuashik was broken down and quit direction. Nevertheless Anil Kapoor trusted his talent and recommended his name to film producer D.Rama Naidu for his film Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (1999). The movie was huge hit and after that Satish Kaushik never looked back and gave many hit films as director like Tere Naam, Milenge Milenge, Badhaai Ho Badhaai etc.