Satish Kaushik talks working with Rishi Kapoor in Sharmaji Namkeen, upcoming projects Guilty Minds, Thar

Actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik has worked with many actors and directors since 1980s, but he considers himself lucky as he got to share screen space with Rishi Kapoor  in the late actor’s swansong Sharmaji Namkeen .

Recalling working with Kapoor, who breathed his last in 2020, Kaushik says it was simply lovely.

“He was such a lovable person. He was full of stories and was passionate about acting. I had seen Bobby (1973) when I was in college, so from being a cinegoer, a fan to be able to work in his last film, it was a very lucky thing for me,” Kaushik, who was also part of the 1999 film Aa Ab Laut Chalen, helmed by Kapoor, tells Firstpost.

According to him, Sharmaji Namkeen will go down in history as the film’s central character Brij Gopal Sharma aka Sharmaji Namkeen was played by two actors.

“It was great that Paresh Rawal accepted the role that was earlier played by Rishi Kapoor, and completed the whole journey. We (Kaushik and Rawal) both acted under Rishi Kapoor’s direction (in Aa Ab Laut Chalen). Being a brilliant actor, Paresh Rawal got the ‘sur’ and ‘aatma’ of Sharmaji,” says Kaushik.

“People have loved it (two actors playing the same role) and it wonderfully worked,” shares the actor.

Much before Kaushik and Kapoor shared screen space or even collaborated as actor-director, there was another connection between the two, thanks to Anil Kapoor.

“I did a very small role in Woh 7 Din, which also starred Anil Kapoor. For the role, he brought one shirt for me. He told me to wear the shirt and said that it was worn by Rishi Kapoor in Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan, so I was very happy about it,” Kaushik says with a laugh.

Woh 7 Din, a 1983 film, also turned out to be an important movie for Anil Kapoor and Kaushik.

“Even though I didn’t play a major role in the film, my friendship with Anil and Boney Kapoor strengthened. I did not know that we would become family members after that film,” he says.

He and Anil Kapoor teamed up on many films as co-stars and also had an actor-director relationship. Anil Kapoor starred in Kaushik’s directorials like Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain and Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai.

One of their most successful films together was Mr India, backed by Boney Kapoor. The 1987 Shekhar Kapur directorial starred Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Amrish Puri and Kaushik.

Kaushik feels that people are expecting a sequel to the superhero sci-fi film.

“Mr India is a big brand. It is up to Boney how he wants to do it (make a sequel). He is a passionate producer. I don’t know when it (Mr India 2) will happen, but it is something that I feel he would like to make,” says Kaushik, who famously played the comic character, Calendar, in the film.

“I love it when people call me Calendar. It is a part of cinematic history. Characters of the film will be remembered and Calendar is one of them,” he adds.

In 2020, it was announced that Tiger Zinda Hai director Ali Abbas Zafar had been roped in to write and direct the trilogy Mr India, but Kaushik was not approached for it.

“I didn’t know much about it. I had just heard about it,” he says.

Though he didn’t bag a role in the trilogy, he has lots of projects in the pipeline, with his web series Guilty Minds arriving on 22 April.

“In the series, I am one of the suspects. I am one of the guilty minds. I play a liquor baron who has money power and all the right contacts. I enjoyed playing that. It’s a very stylish and suave role. The best thing is that I got to play golf. I learnt how to hold the golf club and how to hit the ball. It was so interesting,” says the actor who’s best known for doing comic roles.

He promises the audience will get to see the “new Satish Kaushik” on screen.

“In the last few years, my life took a detour. It’s not just comic characters that I have been portraying lately. The change started with Udta Punjab then Soorma, Scam 1992, Bloody Brothers and now Guilty Minds. It’s a very interesting time for me. I’ve got the chance to redefine and reinvent myself,” says Kaushik.

He also has  Tha _r_ in which one won’t be able to miss his friendship with Anil Kapoor.

“It has been an interesting journey with Anil. My role in Thar is similar to how Anil and I are in our personal lives. I play a very devoted and loving friend to Anil’s character. Both are cops,” he shares.

Kaushik is also tied up with his next directorial.

“My company is developing a lot of content. We will be launching one soon with another director. I am also working on my directorial,” says the Kaagaz director.

Natalia Ningthoujam is a Manipur-based journalist. She knows how to smoothly switch from being a fan to a writer whenever needed. She tweets at @nattynick.

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