Satish Kaushik dies at 66: Lesser-known facts about the iconic ‘Calendar’ from Mr India

Early life

Born on April 13, 1956, in Haryana’s Mahendragarh, Kaushik completed his graduation from Kirori Mal College in Delhi and later joined the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India.

Mumbai and debut film

Kaushik moved to Mumbai by 1980, and made his debut with the film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983). His first film as director was Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993).

Marriage and children

He married Shashi Kaushik in 1985. However, the couple lost their child Shanu Kaushik in 1996 at the age of 2. They welcomed their daughter Vanshika in 2012 via surrogacy.

Mr India and beyond

One of Satish Kaushik’s most popular roles was Calendar in Mr India, which starred Anil Kapoor and Sridevi. In an interview to Indian Express last year, he recalled how he had to look after the film’s child stars on set. He had said, “I was in charge of handling the kids. Boney (Kapoor, producer) had ample space behind the sets for their  classrooms, teachers, camping and volleyball. Everything was there, but the fun was in collecting all the children, and I had to do that. I had to train the children for the performances, I nearly took a whip to them to collect them. Now they say, ‘Satish uncle, you were so strict.’ I used to shout at them during the shooting also.” Kaushik had also said that Mr India didn’t need a sequel and that the film ‘shouldn’t be touched’. “Mr India belongs to Anil Kapoor, Boney Kapoor—it belongs to everyone. If it ever comes out, the legacy can only be carried on by Anil Kapoor, not anyone else. Someone else playing Mr India will not be a good thing,” he had said.

When he said that he got typecast in comedy too quickly

Satish Kaushik once told Indian Express that he believed that he got typecast as a comic actor. “It is us who’ve created these definitions like ‘villains’ and ‘negative roles’. It’s actually about the person you play. He can be a bad person with a great sense of humour. That’s why we also see gangsters with an interesting personality. Today, it is about playing a character who might be ruthless, yet quirky, he said

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