“Yeh Ekakayak Jaana, Bahot Nainsaafi Hai,”  Rumi Jaffery On His Dear Friend Satish Kaushik’s Sudden  Exeunt

Runi Jaffrey is shaken by his friend Satish Kaushik’s  death.  “I was informed  about his death  early in the morning. He passed  away past midnight. I rushed to his home to be with his wife  Shashi and daughter Vanshika. My wife is  very attached to Vanshika.She  just  clung to the child  and sat quietly. We  are all in a state of disbelief.”

“We  had dinner together, Satish , Anupam Kher and I , on Anupam’s birthday just a few days ago. Satish was in fine health and in high spirits, speaking on his future plans. He had so much to do. Never  an idle  moment. Now, he’s gone,” says writer-director Rumi Jaffrey.

“Satish and I were friends for more than thirty  years.Yeh ekaayak jaana  bahot nainsaafi hai(his sudden departure is not fair  at all). And  it wasn’t as  if  he wasn’t taking care  of  his health. He  was eating on time and  eating right. He was taking morning  walks. He wanted to live long enough to  see his eight-year old  daughter Vanishka settled in life. But God had other plans.”

Recalling his first  meeting with Satish, Rumi says, “I had come from my hometown Bhopal for a holiday in  Mumbai. During that time I  was in two minds  about a  career in cinema in Mumbai.I wanted to see  a film shooting.I was  told to  reach the venue.And guess which shooting that was? Shekhar Kapoor’s  Mr India in which  Satish was  immortalized as Calendar. That’s when I made up my mind to be part of the film industry.”

Speaking on Satish’s most popular roles Rumi says, “Calendar in  Mr India was  very  popular. But Satish’s Pappu Pager  in Deewana Mastana which I wrote,  was  equally  popular. So many of his roles were  so well liked. Recently in  the Harshad Mehta  bio-pic Scam, Satish  played the foul-mouthed  character so convincingly.He could play anything.”

Rumi is bewildered at Satish’s abrupt departure.  “He  was perfectly fine when we  met .Just a day before he was dancing at Javed Saab’s  Holi bash. I feel he was travelling  too much.Aaj yahan kal wahan.  In fact when he told me he was going to Delhi  on a friend’s invitation I  cautioned him against so much travelling. He silenced me saying it was a commitment to  a friend. I were we  to know this would be his last journey?”