Satish Shah loved snakes, guns, wildlife: Ratna Pathak remembers him

New DelhiJul 3, 2026 09:00 PM IST Ratna Pathak Shah remembers Satish Shah (Photo: Sarabhai vs Sarabhai/Enhanced Using AI)Ratna Pathak Shah, who co-starred with Satish Shah in the iconic Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, remembered Satish, who passed away in October 2025, as a “complete actor”. “It was really fun to go to Satish’s place. There was good food. And sometimes, we used to spot a python or a Russell’s Viper. He used to keep snakes. He was a fantastic wildlife lover and expert. He was a fantastic marksman. He had a whole collection of guns. He was not just a funny man. He never was. He had great depth about him,” Ratna said in a recent interview. “He used to sing beautifully. He used to dance so well. He was healthy, but it never seemed as if it was ungainly. He was physically very active. He did beautiful fight scenes. He was really a complete actor in many ways,” she told Pinkvilla.While tributes have celebrated his unforgettable performances, this recollection in particular offers a glimpse into a side of him that audiences rarely saw. Delnna Rrajesh, a life coach and psychotherapist, said that one of the greatest tragedies of modern life is how easily we reduce people to a single identity. “We know someone as an actor, a doctor, a teacher, a businessperson, or a parent, and slowly begin believing that this one role defines the whole person. Yet every human being is an entire universe of experiences, passions, talents, fears, curiosities and dreams that rarely become visible to the outside world,” she said. 74-year-old Satish’s life beautifully reminds us of this truth. “The world celebrated his humour, but those who knew him personally remembered his depth. They spoke about his fascination with wildlife, his appreciation for music, his love for learning and his wide range of interests. That is perhaps one of the healthiest ways to live. We are not meant to become only one thing. We are meant to continue discovering new parts of ourselves throughout life,” said Delnna. Satish Shah in a still from Sarabhai vs Sarabhai.The same curiosity should also be directed inward, reiterated Delnna. “Every few months, it can be valuable to pause and ask yourself a few honest questions: *What part of myself have I neglected recently? *What genuinely excites me outside my daily responsibilities? *If my profession disappeared tomorrow, how would I describe myself? *What new skill, interest or passion have I always wanted to explore?” These are not merely reflective questions. According to Delnna, they help us build a more resilient identity. “When our sense of self expands beyond one title or one achievement, we become psychologically stronger because our worth is no longer dependent on a single aspect of life.” There is another lesson that quietly emerges after someone’s death. Rarely do people remember only awards, promotions or fame. They remember conversations, kindness, shared meals. “They remember laughter. Passions. The way someone made them feel. That is perhaps the greatest reminder that while success may define a career, it is depth of character that defines a life. Perhaps this is why Satish Shah’s legacy feels so enduring. People are not only remembering an extraordinary actor. They are remembering a curious mind, a lifelong learner, a lover of wildlife, a gifted artiste, and a man who embraced life with enthusiasm far beyond the screen. His story gently reminds us that we should never become so busy building our careers that we stop building ourselves,” said Delnna.