Rajesh Kumar shares why Sarabhai cast did Satish Shah’s pind daan; says ‘he’d be happiest seeing Rakesh Bedi’s Dhurandhar love’

When Satish Shah passed away in October last year, it came as a shock to the entire film and television industry. Many gathered for his funeral, followed by a heartfelt prayer meet where friends and colleagues celebrated the actor’s lively spirit—he was known for truly living life king-size. Now, Rajesh Kumar, who worked with him on Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, has revealed that the cast came together to perform pind daan for him, as he and his wife had no children.

‘Satish Shah was full of warmth’

Speaking to Hindi Rush, Rajesh said, “He was incredibly lively—full of life. He never let his physical ailments reflect in his behaviour or his work. He was on dialysis and had undergone a kidney transplant, but he never showed irritation or frustration. He lived his life king-size. He was deeply inspired by one of our greatest actors, Shammi Kapoor, who too went through physical struggles later in life but never let it overshadow his spirit. Satish sir shared a close bond with him, and I think he consciously chose not to let his weaknesses show. He never let anyone feel the problems he was facing. Even four days before his passing, when I spoke to him, he was cheerful, playful, and full of warmth.”

‘He would be happy for Rakesh Bedi’

He added, “Even today, when we text on the Sarabhai group, we end up remembering him—almost everything we share somehow connects back to him. If he were here, he would have been happiest to see Rakesh Bedi receiving so much love for Dhurandhar. They were batchmates—him, David Dhawan, and Rakesh.”

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‘We did Satish Shah’s pind daan’

Rajesh further shared, “I am from Gaya, where people from across the world come to perform pind daan. All of us from the Sarabhai team took part in Satish Shah’s pind daan, since he didn’t have children.”

In October, initial reports suggested that Satish Shah had passed away due to kidney failure. However, Rajesh later clarified in a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, “I can’t tell you how emotional these last 24–25 hours have been. It’s very difficult to express. But I do want to clarify—yes, he had kidney issues, but he actually passed away due to a heart attack.”

Satish Shah was widely loved for his work across films and television.