Satish Shah, FTII alumnus who made audiences laugh, dies at 74

On Saturday, FTII mourned Shah’s passing. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Satish Shah, celebrated actor, revered mentor, and distinguished FTII alumnus. Across a remarkable career spanning over four decades, Mr. Shah brought laughter, grace, and depth to Indian cinema and television, with iconic performances in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Main Hoon Na, Hum Saath Saath Hain, and Kal Ho Naa Ho, among many others,” said FTII in an official statement.

The institute recalled how Shah’s “journey began right here at FTII” before he became one of the most-recognisable and beloved performers. At FTII, Shah had performed in student films, such as Bonga (1976), Corpses (1976), End of the game (1976), Khukari (1976), Lokayat (1976), Masks (1976), Shikast (1976), Duniya Chalti Hai (1976), Out of Focus (1976), Sab Maya Hai (1978), Sadama (1978) and Tenth Floor (1979).

According to the institute, Shah continued to engage with FTII long after he passed out. He was a member of FTII’s Governing Council and the FTII Society, a reflection of his commitment to nurturing the craft and spirit of cinema. “His artistry transcended generations… The FTII community remembers him with profound gratitude and affection,” said the institute.

Despite his FTII credentials, Shah did not have an easy start in the film industry. He once recalled his relentless struggles to break in. It was an era when actors would leave their photographs with producers and directors and expect to get called. Photographs, however, were expensive and Shah had to choose carefully where to send him. Initially, Shah was cast in bit roles until Kundan Shah picked him for Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, a 1983 film by Kundan Shah, which has become a classic. The late actor had played Municipal Commissioner D’Mello, a character who spent most of the film as a dead body. “I even got a headline in a newspaper that said ‘Satish Shah, better dead than alive’. I laughed a lot,” Shah had said in a television interview.

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro proved to be a turning point for the actors and became a classic over the years. “When we started Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, nobody believed it would be a success except Kundan Shah. I did the film because I had no choice. I was a beggar so I couldn’t be a chooser… While doing the film, we had so many arguments and fights and lack of agreements because it defied logic from the beginning to the end,” the late actor had recalled. The film would be followed by Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984) and turn Shah into the icon for movie buffs.