Comedian no more!

Popular comic actor and director Satish Kaushik says he is done with comedy and is shifting to serious cinema forever

Satish Kaushik is no hero, nor is he is a star. And neither is he regarded one of the best directors we have. In fact out of the 13 odd films that he has directed only 4 have been able to strike a chord with the audience and one, Milenge Milenge, still lies unreleased since five years. However he is one of the best remembered faces when it comes to comedians in the industry. But this, says Kaushik, may change forever as he prepares to give up on comedy for ever.

Things changed when he got lot acclaim for a play called Salesman Ramlal. “All the recognition made me realize I am capable of more than what I have been doing. It showed me what I wanted and always belonged to,” says Kaushik, adding that he is giving up on being the clown with no importance. “Soon after the play the English film Brick Lane happened. It got rave reviews in the western media which no other Indian actor apart from Anil Kapoor has got. That was heartening and made my belief stronger,” he says. And then of course he went on to do Dev Benegal’s Road, a movie which has been touring festivals across the world and has been getting great reviews. In fact as he sits down for the chat he is still basking in the glory of his visit to Berlin. “I just got back from the Berlin Film Festival where Road, Movie was screened on the opening day. It got a thunderous applause,” says Kaushik. “It was fun being in Germany. Apart from the fact that it is fun dressing up in long coats and covered up to gloves, it was a great learning experience to rub shoulders with the likes of Martin Scorsese and talk cinema with them,” he adds.

The actor has nothing against the mainstream movies. “They gave me all that I have today including my name. And because I worked in all those movies I can today afford to say that I want to do only meaningful cinema from now,” he says. “I will of course keep making films even while I act more often. My films will have the regular relevant social message. In fact I am working on one right now,” he adds.

After working in more than 70 movies Kaushik seems to have found a new goal in life. As wise men say it’s never too late. Every story is inspiring in its own ways… this one certainly is!

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