Satish Kaushik: I always used to address Sridevi as ‘ma’am’; she had that persona

Filmmaker - actor Satish Kaushik says it was difficult to get in touch with Sridevi because she was such a huge star, but despite him being a first-time director, she agreed to work with him in Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja.

Actor Satish Kaushik sounds extremely upset when we talk to him about Sridevi’s untimely demise. “I was sleeping, and I just happened to get up and check my phone. There were many messages about her..I thought it was just a rumour.. but it is so heartbreaking.”

Actor - filmmaker Satish Kaushik played the role of Calendar in the film Mr. India. (Hindustan Times)

Satish played the role of a cook , Calendar in the iconic film Mr. India (1987), a film for which Sridevi received a lot of appreciation. Her song Hawa Hawai is still a favourite among her fans. He remembers the first few encounters he had with her. “I was also an assistant director in Mr. India. I was going to direct my first film Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), and Sridevi was this huge star. It was difficult to even get in touch with her. I was a first-timer. But she agreed to star in my film, and then onwards, I shared a great relationship with her.”

“She was like family. I always used to call her ‘ma’am’, and our relations never changed even after her marriage (to Boney Kapoor). I continued to address her as ‘ma’am’. She had that persona, you couldn’t call her just Sridevi,” adds a grief-stricken Satish.

When asked what was the last time he spoke to her, Satish reveals, “We used to keep meeting on and off at functions. We would talk on the phone, too. I had congratulated her for her performance in Mom (2017). When her daughter, Janhvi started shooting for her upcoming debut film Dhadak, I messaged her on the first day. And she replied,” Satish signs off, while on his way to Mumbai from Delhi, upon hearing the news.

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