• Satish Kaushik, a 66-year-old actor, screenwriter and director, died in Delhi due to a heart attack.
• He had recalled the day he came to Mumbai to make it as an actor, sharing a photo of himself against a train.
• Several members of the Indian film industry have commented on his journey.

Satish Kaushik passed away on Thursday after suffering a heart attack in Delhi. Originally from Haryana, the 66-year-old actor, screenwriter, and director also attended college in Delhi and received his degree from the National School of Theatre in the nation’s capital. Thereafter, he enrolled at Pune’s Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). In a widely circulated tweet from 2020, the late actor remembered the day he arrived in Mumbai to pursue his dream of being an actor.

Satish recounted at the time that he had shared a black and white photograph of himself next to a train, “On August 9th, 1979, I took the Paschim Express to Mumbai to train as an actor. Mumbai had its first dawn on August 10. Mumbai provided me work, friends, a wife, kids, and a home, as well as warmth, love, and the courage to live happily. Hello Mumbai and everyone who has given me more than I could have imagined. Thx.” He has since received comments from several members of the Indian cinema business, including Shekhar Kapur, Urmila Matondkar, Tusshar Kapoor, and Pratik Gandhi, among others.

I came to mumbai to become an actor on 9th Aug 1979 by Paschim Express.10th Aug was first morning in Mumbai.Mumbai gave Work,Friends,Wife, Kids,Home, Love,Warmth, Struggle,Success,Failures & Courage to live Happily.Good Morning Mumbai & All who gave me more than I dreamt . Thx🙏 pic.twitter.com/dTuoPmEQKA

— satish kaushik (@satishkaushik2) August 10, 2020

Actress Celina Jaitly posted the same 2020 photograph of Satish in Mumbai after hearing of his passing on Thursday. She wrote, “Since then, he has been an essential part of Indian cinema; Mr. India without Calendar, Bollywood without #tereNaam is unthinkable. Kuch arsey pehle @satishkaushik2 ji had posted this modest photo of his arrival on the first morning in Mumbai. Peace be with you, Sir, and thanks for being YOU!”

Kuch arsey pehle @satishkaushik2 ji had posted this humble photo of his arrival n 1st morning in Mumbai, since then he has been an integral part of Indian cinema, Mr India without Calendar, Bollywood without #tereNaam is unimaginable. Rest in peace sir & thank you for being YOU! pic.twitter.com/6qr9pL03E4

— Celina Jaitly (@CelinaJaitly) March 9, 2023

In addition to writing dialogue for Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) and serving as the assistant director of Shekhar’s Mr. India, Satish originally moved to Bombay with the intention of becoming an actor (1987). He played the part of “Calendar” in the Hindi movie, which would go on to become one of his most well-known performances. The actor had previously discussed his first time in front of the camera in 2019. In an interview with Indian Express, he said, “My first acting project in Mumbai was Naseeruddin [Shah] and Smita Patil’s Chakra. Satish Kaushik, who played the role, was extremely lanky and skinny. That movie had a huge audience. I took on the role of one of the wild boys in the neighborhood. Once I’d given my first shot, Rajkumar Santoshi (first AD) came to me and said ‘good actor yaar’. I said thank God at least someone said that!”

Kaagaz (2021), directed by Satish, featured Pankaj Tripathi in the title role. He last appeared in the January Zee5 Chhatriwali. He finished filming the politician Jagjivan Ram scene for Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency.

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