In pictures: The career of Bollywood actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik

Bollywood actor Satish Kaushik, who died on March 9, 2023, was a versatile Indian film personality. An alumnus of India's National School of Drama and Film and Television Institute of India, he is also a screenwriter, producer, director and comedian in a career spanning over four decades. He has directed and acted in yesteryear Bollywood blockbusters that were also critically acclaimed.

As a film actor, he was noted for his roles as Calendar in 'Mr. India', Pappu Pager in 'Deewana Mastana', and as Chanu Ahmed in Sarah Gavron's British film 'Brick Lane' (2007). He won the Filmfare Best Comedian Award twice: in 1990 for 'Ram Lakhan' and in 1997 for 'Saajan Chale Sasural'.

As a theatre actor, Kaushik's most noted role was that of Willy Loman in the Hindi-language play, 'Salesman Ramlal', an adaptation of Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman'.

Kaushik made his acting debut in the 1983 Bollywood satire 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro', which is considered a cult classic today. The movie takes a humorous look at the all-pervasive corruption in India. The movie featured an ensemble cast comprising Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta, Om Puri, Bhakti Barve. Kaushik plays Ashok, the assistant of an unscrupulous builder, apart from writing the movie's dialogues.

Kaushik acted in other yesteryear classics, including 'Woh Saat Din', a remake of the Tamil hit "Andha 7 Naatkal'; 'Utsav', 'Mr India'. His career as a director picked up around the same time.

His first film as a director was the Sridevi, Anil Kapoor-starrer 'Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja' (1993). Prem (1995), starring Tabu, was his second movie as director. Both the movies, reportedly, failed at the box office. His first hit was 'Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain' in 1999.

As an actor, though, he continued to taste success, starring in blockbusters like 'Deewana Mastana' (1997), 'Jamai Raja' and 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan'.

Kaushik starred in the critically acclaimed 2007 British drama 'Brick Lane' directed by Sarah Gavron. The movie, an adaptation of the 2003 novel of the same name by Monica Ali, dealt with the lives of South Asians living in London and the racial tensions they faced.

The actor's other memorable roles include those in the Pankaj Tripathi-starrer 'Kaagaz' (2021), which traces the struggles of a farmer from a small village who was declared dead on official papers.