Mumbai: Satish Shah, whose endearing comic turns in a range of films and TV shows from Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro to Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and from Main Hoon Na to Sarabhai vs Sarabhai captivated audiences for years, died in Mumbai on Saturday. He was 74.
PD Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre confirmed his death. The hospital said they received a call from his residence, and that a medical team dispatched to his house found him unresponsive.
“Despite the best efforts of our medical team, Mr Shah could not be revived,” the hospital said in a statement.
People close to Shah confirmed he died of a kidney ailment.
Condolences poured in throughout Saturday, including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said Shah’s “effortless humour and iconic performances brought laughter into countless lives.”
Shah starred in over 200 films and an array of TV shows.
He earned his first stripes with his memorable performance as the unscrupulous municipal commissioner D’Mello in Kundan Shah’s satire ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’ (1983) – Shah played a dead body for a considerable chunk of the role. He cemented his reputation with the slice-of-life TV series, ‘Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi’ (1984).
He went on to play comic and character roles in films such as ‘Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai’ (2000) and ‘Main Hoon Na’ (2003). But Sarabhai vs Sarabhai elevated him to cult status and slingshot him into household repute.
His portrayal of the jovial prankster Indravadan Sarabhai, sandwiched between the eccentricities of his wife Maya, daughter-in-law Monisha and sons Sahil and Rosesh, earned him widespread acclaim and gave Sarabhai vs Sarabhai a place in the pantheon of Indian TV comedy.
“Satish Shah was not your average comic actor, though he made a career out of making people laugh on screen for over four decades,’’ said Sarabhai vs Sarabhai producer JD Majethia.
“Satish and I were like family,” said Majethia. “When we last spoke he promised me that he would do something special for me on ‘Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai’ from November. That’s not possible without him.”
Shah graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in 1976.
Rakesh Bedi, one of Shah’s closest friends and his FTII classmate, said, “He was a natural humourist. He was born into it. He could come up with a joke or pull out a gag from his sleeve even under the most trying circumstances.’’
Bedi recalled going to see Shah just before he flew to Kolkata for a kidney transplant a few months ago. “Some of our friends were there to cheer him but instead of any contribution from our side, he was the one entertaining us. He joked about everything from his ailing heart to his kidney. My friend was special.’’
“Laughter has been dealt another cruel blow,’’ said producer-distributor N R Pachisia. “We lost Asrani earlier and now Satish. It is a dark hour.’’
On Saturday, at Shah’s residence, on the second floor of Gurukul, in Bandra East, relatives and members of the film industry met Madhu, the late comedian’s widow.
The Shahs did not have children and for the better part of their lives the couple raised their pets like their children. Senior journalist and author Bharathi S Pradhan recalled how every time one of their pets had a litter, Madhu and Satish called her to say, “Congratulate us, we have become grandparents.’’
Filmmakers Honey Irani and Ashoke Pandit paid their condolences on Saturday evening.
Friends and the media who interacted with Shah on numerous sets and film soirees recall him as a well-read and an articulate man.
Veteran actor, Suresh Oberoi who was Shah’s batch mate at the FTII, added, “He always updated me on his health status through text messages and calls. He never lost his sense of humour in real life. He knew he would always come around. We are shocked at his passing.”
Actor-filmmaker Rakesh Roshan said: “Even in college, he knew how to crack you up with laughter.” Roshan’s wife Pinky and Shah were classmates at Mumbai’s St Xavier’s College. The two families have known each other since then. “Years later I cast him in Hrithik’s debut film ‘Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai’ (2000) where he was a delight to work with. He brought his landmark poker-faced humour to the character of Anthony Rodrigues.’’