‘Sharmaji Namkeen’: Satish Kaushik remembers Rishi Kapoor

Mumbai, March 22  Veteran actor Satish Kaushik who is playing a pivotal part in the last film of late Rishi Kapoor, titled ‘Sharmaji Namkeen’, recalls Kapoor as his favourite ‘zinda dil Chintuji’.

In the movie, Satish is playing the character of a sardarji and he only got very little time to shoot the film with Kapoor, as he passed away on April 30, 2020. Eventually, actor Paresh Rawal took up Kapoor’s part and finished the film.

Remembering Kapoor, Satish told IANS: “Of course, we all were very excited to work on this film initially because it was like a reunion of some of our old colleagues, actors who have worked earlier. The story is also very interesting that celebrates self-discovery and starting afresh, following dream where age is no bar.”

“Kise pata tha, sab kuch suddenly change ho jayega, Chintuji aise hi chale jayenge? (Who knew things will change so drastically, Chintuji will leave us all of a sudden?),” Satish took a pause.

He continued, “I must say that he was a very ‘zinda dil insaan’ the. He was always a very outspoken, emotionally charged personality and whenever he is in the room, or on film set, he made sure everyone is well taken care of.”

Remembering his days of working with Kapoor’s directorial film ‘Aa Ab Laut Chalen’, Satish shared, “Chintu ji was quite enjoying the experience of working behind the camera. But at times when the actors were doing their little bit of starry tantrums, Chintuji would come to me and say how he realised the logistical challenging side of being the director on a film set.

“However, he was one of those personalities who, no matter what he is doing during the shooting, in the evening, over food and drinks he would bring all of us together. He was a man who lived life king size by all means!”

The film ‘Sharmaji Namkeen’ is produced by Excel Entertainment, directed by Hitesh Bhatia, also featuring – Juhi Chawla, Suhail Nayyar, Isha Talwar, Sheeba Chaddha – releases on Prime Video on March 31.