Actor and filmmaker Satish Kaushik pays tribute to yesteryear comics of Hindi cinema

The show is a tribute to legendary actors like Tun Tun, Om Prakash, Keshto Mukherjee, Johnny Walker and Mehmood among others who enthralled the audience throughout the ’70s and ’80s
Satish Kaushik in Comedy and Comedians with Satish Kaushik
Satish Kaushik in Comedy and Comedians with Satish Kaushik

Filmmaker/actor Satish Kaushik refuses to call yesteryear comic actors ‘just comedians’. He argues, “I hate to call them comedians. Just because he or she is making you laugh doesn’t mean that they are any less of an actor. They had a great sense of comic timing and could mould themselves into different characters performing clean and relatable humour. Making others laugh is the most difficult job.”

The ace filmmaker, known for essaying impressionable characters including Calendar in Mr India, Pappu Pager in Deewana Mastana and Mutthu Swami in Saajan Chale Sasural, among many others; is anchoring a new show Comedy and Comedians with Satish Kaushik for Tata Sky Classic Cinema. He avers, “We tend to remember only the lead actors and at times even the villains, often forgetting the other actors who are also integral to the film. Sadly, I don’t remember any big award shows recognising their efforts.”

The show is a tribute to legendary actors like Tun Tun, Om Prakash, Keshto Mukherjee, Johnny Walker and Mehmood among others who enthralled the audience throughout the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. “They contributed greatly to Hindi cinema. Right from Noor Mohammed Charlie to Asrani and Mehmood bhaijaan — who is my favourite and such a fine actor and went on to play the lead in many films including Kunwara Baap,” says Kaushik who paid a tribute to Mehmood by playing Padosan’s Mutthu Swami in the 1998 film Saajan Chali Sasural.

“Raman Maroo of Shemaroo is a good friend and when talks started about doing something on these lines, I readily agreed. Refreshing my memory of these stars who gave us wonderful moments was a great experience,” says Kaushik.

Talking about the current comedy scene, Kaushik who is satisfied with Bollywood’s comic content is disapproving of the political ones which he finds vulgar. “Rohit Shetty’s films and the kind of comedy that Varun Dhawan does is good. But I personally avoid humour that hurts someone. Some comic acts are tasteless and vulgar and better avoided. The actors that I am paying tribute to never resorted to such kinds of comedy and that makes them memorable,” feels Kaushik. The actor, though he acknowledges that today’s humour is more realistic, prefers to stick to understated and clean comedy.

The show airs every Sunday at 1.30 pm

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