Satish Kaushik

Biography

Satish Kaushik (born in Mohindergarh, 13 April 1956; died in Gurugram, March 2023) was an Indian actor, director, producer, screenwriter and comedian who worked in Bollywood for more than three decades. He is remembered for comedy and for commercial filmmaking, and he also had a notable career in Hindi-language theatre.

He trained at the National School of Drama in Delhi and at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune. He began as an assistant director to Shekhar Kapur on Masoom (1983), where he also made his acting debut. That same year he wrote dialogue for Kundan Shah's cult comedy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. His role as Calendar, the cook in Mr. India (1987), brought him wider recognition, and he won the Filmfare Best Comedian Award twice, for Ram Lakhan in 1990 and Saajan Chale Sasural in 1997.

On stage, he was best known for playing Willy Loman in the Hindi play Salesman Ramlal, an adaptation of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. He made his directing debut in 1993 with Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, and his next film, Prem (1995), was also a box office failure. His first hit came with Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain in 1999. He co-wrote and hosted the television countdown show Top Ten, which earned him the Screen Videocon Award.

In 2007 he and Anupam Kher, a former classmate at the NSD, founded the production company Karol Bagh Productions, whose first film, Teree Sang, he directed. He also appeared in the British drama Brick Lane, directed by Sarah Gavron, as Chanu Ahmed. He died of a heart attack at the age of 66. Today he is chiefly remembered for his comic work, for the character of Calendar and for his contribution to theatre.

Key films

• Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), dialogue for Kundan Shah's cult comedy.
• Mr. India (1987), as Calendar, the cook who helps the hero.
• Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), his debut as a director.
• Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (1999), his first major hit as a filmmaker.
• Brick Lane (2007), as Chanu Ahmed in Sarah Gavron's British drama.