Veteran actor Satish Shah, celebrated for his timeless roles in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and Main Hoon Na, passed away on Saturday at the age of 74. The actor, who had been suffering from kidney-related complications, breathed his last at Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai.
The news was confirmed by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, who took to social media to express his grief. “Sad and shocked to inform you that our dear friend and a great actor, Satish Shah, has expired a few hours ago due to kidney failure. He was rushed to Hinduja Hospital, where he breathed his last. A great loss to our industry. Om Shanti,” Pandit wrote.
As per a PTI report, Shah’s personal assistant of over three decades, Ramesh Kadatala, said the actor passed away at his Bandra East residence in the afternoon. “It seems he passed away from a heart attack; however, we are awaiting final medical confirmation,” Kadatala told the news agency.
A Journey marked by laughter and legacy
A graduate of St. Xavier’s College, Shah later trained at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, before becoming a household name through his impeccable comic timing. From television classics like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai to major film roles in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Fanaa and Om Shanti Om, Shah’s career spanned over four decades.
He was last seen on the big screen in Sajid Khan’s 2014 film Humshakals. In 2015, Shah was appointed as a member of the FTII Society, a recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema and television.
Tributes poured in across social media, with fans and colleagues remembering Shah as a “gentle soul” and “a pillar of Indian comedy.” Many hailed his passing as “the end of an era” in family entertainment.
