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With three blockbuster Hindi releases in a single year, Rashmika Mandanna has shattered industry norms,
proving she’s not just India’s “National Crush” but also one of its most bankable and versatile stars

EYE ON BOLLYWOOD NOVEMBER 07, 2025 | The Indian Eye 40

The Importance of Being Satish Shah: The Man

Who Made India Laugh on Small & Big Screens

OUR BUREAU hania Le Jayenge in the 1990s to Kal
Ho Naa Ho, Main Hoon Na, and Om
Mumbai
Shanti Om in the 2000s.
ew actors have managed to In an era when supporting roles
leave behind as deep and en- often blurred into the background,
Fduring an imprint on India’s Shah brought distinct character to
comic imagination as Satish Shah. each part. Whether playing the ge-
The veteran actor, who passed away nial principal, the bumbling bureau-
in Mumbai at the age of 74 due to crat, or the affectionate uncle, he
kidney failure, was more than just a infused warmth and credibility into
performer — he was an institution in every frame. His comic timing was
himself, a bridge between theatre’s impeccable, but his restraint set him
discipline, television’s intimacy, and apart — he never forced laughter; he
cinema’s vastness. With a career that earned it.
stretched over four decades, Shah Directors loved him for his ver-
wasn’t merely a comedian; he was a satility. He could move seamlessly
storyteller who used humor as empa- from broad humor to understated
thy, absurdity as truth, and laughter emotion, often within a single scene.
as connection. His mere presence added a layer of
familiarity — the kind of comfort
A PIONEER only an actor with both gravitas and
humility could offer.
hen Indian television was
still discovering its narra- A LEGACY OF HUMANITY
Wtive voice in the early 1980s,
Satish Shah became a household atish Shah’s passing is not just
name with Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi. Each a loss for Indian cinema and
week, viewers tuned in to see Shah Stelevision; it is the departure of
play a different character — from a a man who taught the nation to laugh
judge to a tailor, a doctor to a thief at itself without malice. As filmmak-
— embodying the quirks of everyday er Ashoke Pandit noted while con-
Indians with astonishing ease. His firming the news of his death, “It is
ability to shapeshift while keeping a huge loss for our industry.” For
every role grounded in humor and those who grew up watching him, it
heart made him the show’s soul. feels like losing a friend who had al-
At a time when sitcoms were rare ways been around — on TV screens,
and often simplistic, Shah’s perfor- in film theatres, in the background of
mances elevated the form. His char- family laughter.
acters weren’t caricatures; they were Over the years, Shah never
reflections of the audience — flawed, chased stardom. He didn’t need
funny, and deeply human. Yeh Jo Hai to. His artistry lay in making others
Zindagi didn’t just entertain; it set shine brighter — be it co-stars, sto-
the template for situational comedy To speak of Satish Shah is to speak of Indian comedy itself — grounded, ries, or moments. In doing so, he
in India, proving that laughter could became the rare actor whose value
come from observation, not exagger- warm, and unpretentious (ANI File Photo) grew with time, not trends.
ation. To speak of Satish Shah is to
It was this combination of re- every frame without overshadowing the 21st century but also proved that speak of Indian comedy itself —
alism and humor that made Shah’s co-actors. situational humor, when performed grounded, warm, and unpretentious.
television work timeless. Long be- Indravadan wasn’t merely a fun- with intelligence and restraint, could He brought dignity to humor and hu-
fore meme culture and streaming ny father; he was satire incarnate transcend generations. Even years manity to performance. His was not
comedies, he had already mastered — poking fun at class, pretension, after the show ended, his one-liners the loud laughter of slapstick but the
the art of relatable absurdity. and the absurdity of modern Indi- continue to circulate online — an en- quiet smile of recognition — of see-
Two decades later, Shah found a an family life. Shah’s portrayal was during testament to his comic genius. ing oneself mirrored on screen in all
new generation of fans with Sarabhai laced with warmth and wickedness THE CHARACTER ACTOR one’s imperfections and joys.
vs Sarabhai, where he played Indra- in equal measure. His banter with As the industry bid farewell to
vadan Sarabhai — the witty, sarcastic Ratna Pathak Shah’s Maya and his hile television gave Shah him, one truth remains: India’s sense
patriarch of an upper-middle-class camaraderie with his onscreen son intimacy with his audience, of humor will forever carry a touch of
Mumbai family. The role was argu- Rosesh became cultural benchmarks Wcinema gave him scale. His Satish Shah. Because to understand
ably his career’s crowning glory, for TV comedy. filmography reads like a timeline of why laughter matters in our stories,
showcasing his razor-sharp timing Through Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Bollywood’s evolution — from Kabhi one must first understand the impor-
and effortless ability to command Shah not only reinvented himself for Haan Kabhi Naa and Dilwale Dul- tance of being Satish Shah.

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