Sachin Pilgaonkar reveals Satish Shah underwent Kidney transplant to care for his ailing wife, Madhu

Satish Shah got a kidney transplant for his wife

Veteran actor Satish Shah died this afternoon at the age of 74, leaving the Indian entertainment industry in shock.

He died quickly and without warning. His health reportedly took a sharp turn at home, necessitating an emergency hospital stay at P.D. Hinduja Hospital, where he passed away from complications related to his kidneys.

Even in these last moments, however, love and concern for those closest to Satish characterised his life.

Actor and filmmaker Sachin Pilgaonkar, a longtime friend and collaborator, opened up about the extraordinary devotion Satish showed to his wife, Madhu Shah.

“He got a kidney transplant only to extend his wife’s life,” Sachin revealed. “Unfortunately, even Madhu isn’t well. She has Alzheimer’s. This year, Satish got his kidney transplanted. He wanted to extend his life so that he could take care of Madhu. He was on dialysis. Earlier, he underwent a bypass surgery, which was successful.”

Despite his own health struggles, Satish’s focus remained on the comfort and happiness of his loved ones.

Sachin reminisced about the friendship that began during the 1987 Marathi film Gammat Jammat, which brought together couples who would become like family. “Supriya went to visit Satish and Madhu just three days back. He played some music and Supriya and Madhu danced. Madhu recalled how she would dance cha-cha-cha,” he said.

“Satish and I would keep exchanging texts. In fact, I received a message from him at 12:56 pm today, which means he was absolutely fine even at that time. That I’m in shock is an understatement.”

Also Read: Satish Shah’s wife Madhu reportedly battling Amnesia Dementia; Family worried about how to break the news

Beyond the world of cinema, Satish was a friend, a companion, and a source of joy to those around him. “We never worked together again after that film, but we clicked as friends big time. We used to meet at least twice or thrice a month. They were always there for every celebration — premieres, screenings, parties. And now, I can’t imagine how we’ll celebrate anything without him,” Sachin shared.

Reflecting on life’s unpredictability, Sachin concluded, “You really don’t know what awaits you. You just can’t predict anything. The idea is to stay happy and keep people around you happy, which he did. You don’t know when your time comes.

Satish Shah is remembered not just for his iconic roles in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, and Main Hoon Na, but for the warmth, humour, and kindness he brought into the lives of everyone around him.