SATISH KAUSHIK
Destiny's market man

As actor and comedian, he hardly ever got his due. And as director he’d been branded a flop maker. But the success of Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain has changed all that, hopefully for good...

If anyone’s been blessed by destiny, it has to be you, Satish Kaushik. Take a quick look at the bounties you are blessed with, since the time you struggled as an actor till today when you have been accepted as a director, with your latest success Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain. How do you explain your relationship with destiny?
I am a creation of destiny. I have said that several times and I firmly believe in it. Destiny, I would like to call it God. That almighty power has always been with me, has given me whatever I have asked for and helped me out of some of the most painful crises. I am sure I would be nowhere without destiny’s bounties.

You couldn’t make it as big as an actor like your friend, Anupam Kher. You kept struggling. You did some small roles in which you made an impact. You made a very good comic team with Anupam. But your heart didn’t seem to be in it?
I always knew I was a good actor capable of doing justice to some of the most challenging roles but those challenging roles didn’t come. I survived. I was a fantastic survivor who was still around because of my talent. I didn’t make enough money. I did not make it as big as my best friend, Anupam but I had no regrets. I knew if I had regrets or started comparing myself with others who were less talented or grovelled in self pity I would reach nowhere. I decided to keep the struggle going because I knew that the only thing that could keep me going was my talent and my hard work.

Wasn’t this the stage when you switched gears, and took to take to things like writing and direction?
That’s right, I put myself on test. I realised I would be or could be forced into being an also ran as an actor inspite of all my qualities and capabilities. I wanted to try my talent at something more challenging, my creative urge. Destiny came to my help again. I joined Shekhar Kapur as an assistant director. I assisted him in his first film Masoom and then another big film which was shot in Ladakh, a film which went haywire from the time we landed in Ladakh where most of the film was shot. Masoom was a good teacher. This other film almost threatened to make me forget all that I had learned during Masoom and Mr India. Masoom got so much recognition and gave me so much to learn as a filmmaker.

Soon, you reached a stage when you were neither here nor there, merely surviving.
Yes. I knew I would survive somehow which I did. Boney Kapoor started two big films, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Prem. They were ambitious films, multi-crore films, the kind of films Boney was getting known for. Shekhar was to direct both, and I was naturally to be chief assistant. Then the whole world changed. Shekhar’s destiny changed. He was chosen to direct Bandit Queen and he accepted. Boney was in a fix. The entire industry’s eyes and ears were on Boney. Who would direct two of his biggest films? That was one big question and Boney silenced them all when he selected me to direct both Roop Ki Rani... and Prem. It was scary. It was more than what I had thought of in my wildest dreams. I accepted Boney’s challenge in all modesty. The entire team led by Boney worked day and night. Things were going haywire. But Boney was a man of steel. He asked me not to worry. He gave me the freedom to make the films the way I wanted. His invincible faith in me as a director kept me going. I swear I have never worked as hard as I have on these two films. But destiny this time decided to play truant. I believed I was finished. I knew no one loves failure here. I knew they would kick me out. I was prepared for the worst.

Destiny came to your rescue again.
Yes, I suddenly realised I was a good actor. I made myself available as an actor. I did my first major role after years in David Dhawan’s Saajan Chale Sasural. My character as a South Indian was appreciated by one and all. I was nominated for awards. I was flooded with offers. I was a full-fledged actor all over again, a big actor who would make it big as long as he wanted to but destiny came to tempt me again. I met an old friend, Raju, who once wanted to be an actor and failed. He was a big businessman now. He wanted me and my friend Raja Bundela, to join him and start a company dealing with full-fledged entertainment. We started Prayaas Productions and made very good progress in a short span of time. We had a number of serials on air. We also did the Fourth Screen-Videocon Awards. We were very much in the rise in the game of entertainment, planning, shooting, writing, doing everything to make Prayaas Productions a name to matter.

Then came the temptation in the form of making a feature film for Prayaas Productions.
Yes when you are planning big, you don’t stop at anything. One fine morning we decided to make Bus Conductor, a feature film I always wanted to make. I had started it with Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar a long time ago. It didn’t work out. We decided to make it work then. I would direct But Conductor with Anil and Tabu. We were still in the planning stages...
That’s when Boney suggested my name as the director of Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain. D Rama Naidu is a film businessman. He knew my track record. He knew I had directed two flops for Boney Kapoor and yet Boney himself was suggesting my name. He signed me and I followed my rules and Naidu followed his rules and we became a team of strict disciplinarians. HADMRH would not have been possible without discipline. I am thrilled the film is doing well. I am doubly thrilled that Naidu has confidence enough in me to sign me for another film. What more can a man who was almost given up after Roop Ki Rani... and Prem expect?

The future?

Destiny is on my side. I will work, work very hard. There is so much still to do. An entire lifetime to dedicate.