‘A lot of individuals fade away from our reminiscence after they die, however he’ll keep on endlessly.’

IMAGE: Satish Shah. {Photograph}: Sort courtesy Satish Shah/X

Rajesh Kumar is completely devastated by Satish Shah’s premature demise.

He performed his son Rosesh within the iconic present Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai and all by way of a heartfelt dialog with Rediff Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya, he stored speaking in regards to the actor within the current tense.

“This yr on his birthday, June 25, he made a video name from the hospital. He had simply undergone a kidney transplant, however there he was, consuming a big slice of cake! It is nonetheless sinking in that I’ll by no means see him or communicate to him once more.”

 

‘He assured me that Rosesh would take me miles forward’

IMAGE: Rajesh Kumar with Satish Shah in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai.

On my first day on the set of Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai, I used to be fully in awe of my co-stars, Ratnaji (Ratna Pathak Shah) and Satishji (Satish Shah), who play my mother and father, Maya and Indravadhan, within the sitcom.

I hadn’t seen a lot of their work on Doordarshan as a result of again then I used to be nonetheless learning, and dwelling in a hostel, I had no entry to tv.

However having seen Satishji‘s iconic movies like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!, I used to be understandably nervous and intimidated, questioning the way to carry out in entrance of those two stalwarts.

It was the scene the place Rosesh recites a poem he has written, ‘Oh momma, oh momma, tumne mujhe janam diya, oh momma, oh momma, sabse achcha karam kiya.‘

After it was okayed, Satishji assured me that the character would work for me and take me miles forward as an actor.

His appreciation was so real, he by no means in contrast, simply complimented.

‘As quickly as he noticed me, he would say, “Aa gaya Russi”‘

IMAGE: Rajesh Kumar, Ratna Pathak Shah, Satish Shah, Rupali Ganguly, Arvind Vaidya and Sumeet Raghavan in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai.

We remained Indravadhan aka Indu and Rosesh until his final day.

After 21 years of togetherness, I can say that despite the fact that he didn’t father me, Satishji was like a father to me.

And since he did not have any kids of his personal, I used to be his baby.

Since I am so honest, he would name me Russian.

At casual gatherings, he would spot me and say, “Aa gaya Russi.”

And it wasn’t simply enjoyable and laughs, he would information me on the whole lot, even monetary issues.

After I jumped into farming, he referred to as Nana Patekar at house and requested him if it was okay to share his quantity with me so I may search his recommendation on khetibari.

What was stunning was that together with being my guardian, he was additionally my pal.

We might celebration collectively and annoy one another with out both of us getting miffed.

‘He by no means complained in regards to the previous or mirrored on the long run’

IMAGE: Ratna Pathak Shah with Satish Shah in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai.

Satishji was a happy-go-lucky individual, precisely the best way he got here throughout on display screen.

Not a prankster, however at all times pulling your leg and doing masti on the set.

Regardless of his stardom, he remained a down-to-earth household man, who existed for his spouse (Madhu), prioritising the wants of others over his personal.

I by no means heard him complain in regards to the previous or mirror on the long run, he solely lived within the current, strolling by way of life with an unforced smile.

I by no means noticed him pressured even when he was unwell.

He would playfully chuckle away life’s samasiyain (issues).

And for those who confided in him about one thing that was troubling you, he would pay attention significantly for perhaps two minutes, then crack a joke and let you know to leap out of it.

“You may have only one life, the place is the time for the second most necessary factor?” he would say; the road resonates with me in the present day.

When most of us are in survival mode, Satishji did what he wished, ate what he wished, aur jahan se bhi gaye, unhi ke ho gaye (And wherever he went, he made these he met, his personal.

This yr on his birthday, June 25, he made a video name from the hospital.

He had simply undergone a kidney transplant, however there he was, consuming a big slice of cake!

It is nonetheless sinking in that I’ll by no means see him or communicate to him once more.

‘Our conversations had been an change of information’

IMAGE: Gajraj Rao, Arvind Vaidya, Ratna Pathak Shah, Satish Shah, Rupali Ganguly, Rajesh Kumar, Deven Bhojani and Sumeet Raghavan in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai.

Satishji was a strolling encyclopedia, you needed to be cautious you knew sufficient in regards to the topic earlier than broaching it with him or he would shortly shut you up, saying, “Tujhe kuch pata nahin hai, bas baat kar raha hai ( nothing, you might be simply speaking).”

He was a nationwide stage rifle shooter and for those who bought right into a dialogue of weapons with him, you’ll find yourself pondering he had manufactured them.

A wildlife fanatic, he may even describe the breath of a cobra.

Our conversations had been an change of information.

Although he was a Mumbai boy, he had travelled extensively and had pals in Kolkata, Bhopal and a number of other different locations.

He had no ego and I’ve by no means heard of him having a tiff with anybody, within the movie business or exterior it.

He was a bhakt of one other rockstar, Shammi Kapoor, and on October 24, in his final put up on X, Satishji wished his idol glad birthday, including ‘you might be at all times round me’.

At this time, I really feel him round me and l know I’ll really feel the identical manner subsequent yr and the yr after.

‘He could not bear in mind names’

IMAGE: Ratna Pathak Shah, Aatish Kapadia, Rupali Ganguly, Satish Shah and Jamnadas Majethia. {Photograph}: Sort courtesy Satish Shah/X

Satishji was a improbable singer who liked songs of each (Mohammad) Rafisaab and Kishoreda (Kishore Kumar).

He was a person of many abilities whose solely disadvantage was that he could not bear in mind names.

Once we had been taking pictures collectively, he would whisper, “Naam tu yaad rakhiyo (You bear in mind the names).”

Sadly, like him, I too am unhealthy with names!

There was a tongue tornado of a reputation in Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai, which Satishji simply could not pronounce whereas performing, however funnily remembered clearly years later.

‘Rupali out of the blue stated, “Lets sing our music?”‘

IMAGE: Satish Shah’s Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai crew: Arvind Mamaniya, Deven Bhojani, Jamnadas Majethia, Aatish Kapadia, Sumeet Raghavan, Rupali Ganguly, Rajesh Kumar, Paresh Ganatra. {Photograph}: Panna Bandekar

For the final six months, J D Majethia, the producer of Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai, had been working arduous to revive the present.

We had been ready for Satishji to get effectively to begin taking pictures.

Who knew it will shut like this!

Our Sarabhai parivar is sort of a actual household and all of us have sure unsaid duties in the direction of one another.

Loads of different huge and profitable reveals have come earlier than it and since, however I can confidently say that you’ll not see this type of a bonding amongst actors even in 100 years.

It is arduous to explain yeh rishta kya kehlata hai as a result of the connection goes past mere phrases.

That is why it was so arduous for us to regulate our feelings at Satishji‘s funeral understanding the vacuum he had left behind can by no means be stuffed.

Rupali (Ganguly) out of the blue stated, “Lets sing our music?”.

It simply occurred, you possibly can name it Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai‘s final curtain name and who is aware of, perhaps Satishji orchestrated it from up there.

He by no means had a toddler, however he remained a toddler all his life.

Going by the obits and the outpouring of feelings on social media, as an actor he was a lot admired and revered for his physique of labor.

From the totally different characters in Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi to Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai, the one and solely Indu, from Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron‘s corpse to Essential Hoon Naa‘s spittle spewing-teacher, his repertoire is the envy of actors like us.

A lot of individuals fade away from our reminiscence after they die, however he’ll keep on endlessly.

Images curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff