A Dialogue with Satish Kaushik
Thirty years in the film industry as a writer, director, producer and actor has earned Satish Kaushik the tag of a veteran. And now, after a hiatus of sixteen years, Satish Kaushik who has left his indelible mark as an actor in both comic and serious roles, finds his way back to the small screen as Jasbir Walia, the father of Sumit Walia in the indian adaptation of the cult hit show Everybody Loves Raymond. Said Satish Kaushik, ‘ Acting is a part and parcel of my DNA and no matter what new route I choose to explore, the one constant passion within me is that of acting. This passion has seen me journey through every medium, be it theater, television or films. Sumit Sambhal Lega which is the Indian adaptation of Everyone Loves Raymond came to me at a time when Indian Television was undergoing a change and the audiences were willing to try giving new formats and genres a chance. Jasbir Walia as a character threw me a challenge. How was I to create the same familiarity as Frank, the father of Raymond from the original and yet bring in my own nuances? The actor in me was intrigued . Jasbir walia takes me back to my Delhi days but Jasbir, a person who fancies himself a man of all seasons has spent his life in the lanes of old Delhi.
Now he finds himself with his family living in the posh Greater Kailash area of Delhi. He is an obnoxious person who spends his days picking on his sons, fighting with his wife, creating unrest in the neighbourhood and being a self opinionated human being in general. But he is also a very lovable person who under the façade of being this difficult man has his own gentle equations with each member of the Walia family and often lands up saving the day. On set we joked about how Jasbir Walia came close to being a second mother in law! ‘
