Veteran actor Satish Shah, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 74 following kidney failure, was known for keeping his personal life strictly private. Now, as fans mourn his loss, heartwarming stories from his life are resurfacing online, from his romance with wife Madhu Shah, to close family ties with Ratna Pathak Shah, and even his classroom memories with Shabana Azmi.
Satish Shah’s parents and siblings
Satish Shah was born on June 25, 1951, in Mumbai, into a Kutchi Gujarati family originally hailing from Mandvi in Kutch. He was raised in a close-knit household. His father was a businessman. He has a brother Natwar and sister Madhuri, who were not known to be part of the film industry.
He studied at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, before joining the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), where he trained as an actor.
Satish Shah’s love story with Madhu Shah
Satish Shah first met Madhu Shah at the Sipta Film Festival, where he instantly fell in love with her. However, Madhu reportedly turned down his initial proposal. Satish tried his luck again during the shoot of Saath Saath (1982), only to be rejected once more. But his persistence eventually paid off. On his third proposal, Madhu asked him to meet her parents. After he won them over, the two got engaged and tied the knot just eight months later, in 1972. The couple has been together ever since, choosing to keep their personal life away from the public eye.
Satish Shah’s life with no kids
As per reports, the couple chose not to have children, instead devoting themselves to their companionship and shared journey through life. During his funeral, his on-screen son Rajesh Kumar was seen carrying his body. In fact, Sumeet Raghvan, who portrayed Sahil Sarabhai in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, was also close to him. Sumeet took to social media to acknowledge the condolence messages pouring in on social media, saying as the elder son of the Sarabhai family, “I accept them”.
Family bond with Ratna Pathak Shah
Satish Shah wasn’t just Ratna Pathak Shah’s co-star. He was also a close family friend, sharing a warm and personal bond with her beyond the screen. In an earlier conversation with DNA, Satish Shah opened up about his bond with Ratna, sharing that their families had known each other for years. He revealed that his father’s younger sister and Ratna Pathak Shah’s mother were close friends.
“Ratnaji’s mother and my father’s younger sister were best friends. Her mother got married in my aunt’s house. At that time we were not into acting, but we knew each other… Her husband (Naseeruddin Shah) is my best friend and my wife is her best friend,” Satish Shah said at that time.
Sharing class with Shabana Azmi
Satish Shah was once classmates with veteran actor Shabana Azmi, a fact she revealed while paying tribute to him after his death. She also shared a picture from one of their reunion gatherings.
Sharing the picture, Shabana wrote, “This photo was taken a couple of years ago on Roopa Shaikh’s birthday . Last year we lost her to cancer and now #Satish Shah is gone . We were in college together and I used to keep bumping into him at common friends homes . Always full of beans , pulling a fast one and a jovial soul. Gone too soon . Farouque Shaikh and he were a team .. Bichde sabhi baari baari (All parted ways one by one).”
Satish Shah no more
Satish Shah died of renal failure in Mumbai on Saturday. He was 74. The actor collapsed while having lunch at his Mumbai residence, his manager revealed. He was rushed to Hinduja Hospital but could not be revived. His funeral took place on Sunday in Mumbai, where his family and colleagues from the film industry gathered to bid him a final farewell.
The actor showed his comedy skills with projects such as Ye Jo Hai Zindagi, Filmi Chakkar, Ghar Jamai, and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. He got famous with Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro in 1981. He went on to appear in some of the biggest Bollywood hits like Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Main Hoon Na, and Fanaa.
