New Delhi: Satish Shah, a veteran actor known for his exceptional comic timing, recently opened up about the challenges actors face when they are typecast based on their on-screen roles. He said that fans in India fail to differentiate between the actor and the character portrayed onscreen. He highlighted a distressing incident that shed light on the struggle of being perceived solely as a comedian, even during personal crises.
In an interview with CNN-News18, Shah shared how a person approached him and requested him to crack a joke when he was in a hospital while his wife was battling for her life.
He told CNN-News18, " They expect you to be funny even when one is in an environment where one has to be serious. It happens, but one has to live with it. My wife was seriously ill, she was almost dying on the operation table. And I was very tense, because we’d been married only for three months. I was sitting outside, very worried, and a guy comes to me and says, ‘Kya yaar, aap aise serious baithe ho, ache nahi lag rahe ho, koi joke-woke maaro (You look so glum, it doesn’t suit you. Why don’t you tell me a joke).
The person's insensitive request deeply hurt Satish Shah, as it showed a lack of empathy and understanding of his emotional state during such a critical time. He admitted that the pressure to be humorous, even in serious situations, is a challenge that many actors face. Shah managed to maintain his composure and walked away from the situation.
“Joke to maarne ki baat alag hai, main usey ek knockout punch maar sakta tha (forget the joke, I could hit him). But somehow, better sense prevailed, and I just walked off. But it’s part of the baggage we carry,” he added.
Shah's illustrious career in the film industry, spanning several decades, has seen him enthrall audiences with his comedic brilliance in projects like ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro,’ ‘Main Hoon Na,’ and TV shows like ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai,’ and ‘Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi.’
The actor was last seen on the silver screen in ‘Humshakals’ and is all set to make a comeback with Rajkumar Hirani's ‘Dunki’. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles.