RIP Satish Kaushik: “Boney Kapoor would’ve never thought that the actor he signed for Rs 500 would make him lose Rs 50 crores on films like Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Prem”

By Fenil Seta -

March 10, 2023 - 12:00 PM IST

The industry woke up to the sad news that Satish Kaushik passed away suddenly. The actor-director had earned a place in the hearts of the viewers' thanks to his memorable roles in several films. He was also a director and handled memorable and successful films like Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (1999), Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai (2000), Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai (2001), Tere Naam (2003) etc. He began his journey as a director with Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993). A lot was expected from this Anil Kapoor-Sridevi starrer as it marked the reunion of the duo and producer Boney Kapoor after the very successful and acclaimed Mr India (1987). Sadly, the film bombed big time at the box office. In a few interactions, Satish Kaushik spoke about it in his trademark funny style.

RIP Satish Kaushik: “Boney Kapoor would’ve never thought that the actor he signed for Rs 500 would make him lose Rs 50 crores on films like Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Prem”

Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was shot lavishly and boasted of a challenging action scene on a trip that took 21 days to be shot. In an interview with Mumbai Mirror seven years ago, Satish Kaushik revealed that nine premieres of the film were planned in nine cities. The third premiere was held in Hyderabad and Satish said that this is when news came in that the film was not doing well. He was in a hotel and he was so distraught by this news that he wanted to jump from the window.

Satish Kaushik stated, “I got very upset and I wanted to jump out of the window of the hotel. I was newly married at that time and my wife got very worried. But of course, nothing much would have happened anyway if I had jumped — for, the window was on the first floor. And right below the window, there was a buffet laid out for dinner. Had I jumped I would have landed in some bhindi ki subzi!”

In this same interview, he also noted that “the sheer ambition of the film took a toll”. Meanwhile, Satish Kaushik’s next directorial Prem (1995), which served as the debut of Sanjay Kapoor, also tanked.

In another interview, given to Bombay Times in 2018, Satish Kaushik joked, “During the 80s, when Boney first signed me as an actor, he offered me Rs 201. Anil Kapoor told him that he’d seen how talented I was during Woh Saat Din (1983), so he told him to give me Rs 500 instead. Boney would’ve never thought that the actor he signed for Rs 500 would make him lose Rs 50 crores on films like Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Prem (laughs!).”

Also Read: Satish Kaushik had planned to make a sequel to Salman Khan-starrer Tere Naam; once revealed, “Barber shops, even in Pakistan and Afghanistan, have posters advertising the Tere Naam cut”