BREAKING: Veteran actor, director Satish Kaushik passes away at 66, Anupam Kher, Kangana Ranaut pay tribute

(Pic courtesy: Twitter)

Veteran actor and one of the most influential directors in Bollywood, Satish Kaushik has passed away. Reportedly, Kaushik passed away after suffering a heart attack. He was 66.

The unfortunate news of Satish Kaushik's passing away was shared on Twitter by Bollywood actor and one of Kaushik's closest friends, Anupam Kher.

Taking to the micro-blogging site, in the wee hours on Thursday, Anupam tweeted, "I know that death is the ultimate truth of this world! But I had not thought even in my wildest dreams that I would write this thing about my best friend someday. Such a sudden full stop to a friendship of 45 years!! Life will NEVER be the same without you SATISH!"

After Anupam, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut too took to Twitter and offered her condolences. Reacting to the 'horrible news', Ranaut wrote, "Woke up to this horrible news, he was my biggest cheerleader, a very successful actor and director #SatishKaushik ji personally was also a very kind and genuine man, I loved directing him in Emergency. He will be missed, Om Shanti."

Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar who is best known for movies like 'Chandani Bar', 'Page 3' and 'Fashion', took to Twitter and extended his deepest condolences to the family of the late director. He wrote, "I am so shocked to hear the demise of actor-director Satish Kaushik ji, who was always vibrant, energetic and full of life, he will be missed immensely by the film fraternity & millions of admires, My deepest condolences to his family members. #OmShanti."

Hailing from Mahendragarh, Haryana, Satish Kaushik was born on April 13, 1956. Kaushik was an alumnus of the NSD and the FTII, and started his film career in the early 1980s.

He penned the dialogues for the 1983 classic 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron', which acquired a cult following over the years.

Also Read: Satish Kaushik reveals how Javed Akhtar would praise Anees Bazmee's scripts

He is known for his comic roles as Calendar in Anil Kapoor-starrer 'Mr India' and Pappu Pager in 'Deewana Mastana' among many others.

Kaushik also gave sterling performances in other films like Subash Ghai's 'Ram Lakhan' and David Dhawan's 'Saajan Chale Sasural'.

After delivering movies like 'Tere Naam', 'Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain', 'Tere Sang' among others, Satish cemented his place as one of the finest directors in Bollywood.