Satish Kaushik on being typecast in comedy: ‘If I would have got a film like Saaransh…'

Satish Kaushik made his way into our hearts as Calendar from Mr India, continues to entertain us more than 30 years later. And the actor makes sure to bring a certain uniqueness in every character he plays. He recently played a condom factory owner in a wig in the ZEE5 film Chhatriwali. He will next be seen in Emergency, directed by Kangana Ranaut. In an interview with Hindustan Times after the film release, Satish shared how he ensures his characters are worth remembering. He also opened up about being relevant and shared his love for the new generation in the film industry.

Excerpts from the interview:

Your first famous role was Calendar in Mr India more than 30 years ago. Since then, neither you have aged nor Anil Kapoor. How?

Thank you for such a compliment. You made my day. When you are passionate about your work, you need to take care of yourself. Even Akshay Kumar is so inspiring, he says if a person doesn’t have one hour for himself in a day, it’s all worthless. In order to keep doing good work, you need to keep yourself updated, reinvented and relevant. That can only happen if you look after yourself. I am on that trip and try to keep myself fit. You focus only on mental wellbeing; we need to keep ourselves physically fit as well. I am still working in films, web series and have many in pipeline. It becomes your responsibility to maintain the image in which you are seen.

Your role of a condom factory owner in Chhatriwali is interesting.

My dialogue has become popular: ‘young generation ki yahi baat mujhe bahut pasand hai – himmat bahut hai inme’. I always try to make a one liner the USP of the character which can make it memorable. From Calendar, Muthu Swamy, Pappu Pager to Kunjbihari, these are some of my most popular characters. Earlier the roles were loud, now there are more realistic and subdued roles, like the one in Chhatriwali. I asked the director if I can use the line because I seriously feel I am from the older generation, working since the 80s. I want to give the younger generation a tribute with my dialogue so that they work with me. I improvised the line and knew it would be well received. I really love this younger generation which is doing great work in any part of the field. I learn so much from them and thought that I must praise them.

What makes the film different from other sex education films like the recent Janhit mein jaari?

Its intentions were right and the message was delivered in a very entertaining way and explicitly. The script is strong.

Everyone says comedy is a difficult subject to pick, you do it very naturally. What's the formula?

The only formula is that you need to understand life, these characters, the situations. It comes with experience. I have been doing comedy for decades and tried to bring some uniqueness in each character. I have given every character a lot of dignity and respect. Comedy is indeed difficult because you need to have the right timing, command on the language and it's very necessary that you understand the characters. You need to see if there is humour in walking, gestures or how you talk. We come from small towns where we have seen life very closely.

You mostly do comedy, yet you have directed romantic films and a heart-breaking film like Tere Naam. How do you bring such diversity in your work?

In our time, whichever was our first successful role, we would keep on getting the same roles. When Calendar became a hit, people thought I did good comedy and I started getting comic roles. Anupam Kher is from my league, he got Saaransh first. If I would have got a film like Saaransh before, I would have been in a different line because people cast in those roles then. I have been lucky that I have started getting diverse roles in the last 4-5 years. My roles in Udta Punjab, Soorma, Chhalaang or Guilty Minds, Scam 1992 are totally opposite roles. My character of Lamba in Chhatriwali is not a comedian but the owner of a condom company and I have done it in a very realistic way. In my next film, Kaagaz 2, I play a victim who is simple and vulnerable.

You will now be seen as Jagjivan Ram in Emergency. Share your experience of working with an actor-director like Kangana Ranaut?

I enjoyed working on the film because Kangana is a very talented and uncomplicated director. Her understanding of a performance is amazing. I couldn’t even recognise myself when I was in the getup of Jagjivan Ram and thought the great leader had himself come in front of me. It’s a very realistic role, I have never played a historical character. It was a great honour to get this part. I listened to his speeches and read about his life. He was a famous politician in my younger days.

I leave my directorial skills at home when I play an actor. When the director is an actor as well, the advantage is they can tell us the complexities and minute details of the performance. Kangana takes care of the most minute details, like to smile a bit and bending a little while talking. Only a talented actor can tell you such things, which she is.