Satish Shah achieved what even Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan couldn’t!

Veteran actor and comedian Satish Shah’s passing has left an unfillable void in Indian entertainment. As fans mourn the legend, here's an incredible fact about his career that reveals how this beloved supporting star quietly achieved a box-office record that even Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan couldn’t match.

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The Early Struggles of a Comic Genius

A graduate of FTII, Satish Shah began his career in 1976 but found little success initially. Even his part in the cult classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro did not catapult him to stardom. While the ’80s brought him fame on television, his film roles remained limited to small parts in B-grade thrillers and horror flicks.

The 1990s: From Side Roles to Silent Records

Everything changed in the early ’90s. With Narsimha (1991), Shah began appearing in big-budget productions alongside top stars. Then came a historic streak few have noticed, one that etched his name in box-office history.

The Record That Even the Khans Missed

In 1994, Satish Shah featured in Hum Aapke Hain Koun, which grossed Rs 128 crore worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film ever. Just a year later, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge surpassed it with Rs 130 crore and Shah was in that one too!

This made him the only actor since Raj Kapoor to appear in two consecutive all-time highest-grossing Bollywood films. Kapoor achieved it as a hero (Barsaat and Awara); Shah did it as a character actor - a feat even SRK and Salman never managed in the ’90s.

Riding High Through the Decade

The golden run continued. Shah starred in a series of blockbusters like Hero No. 1, Judwaa, Saajan Chale Sasural, and Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999) - the year’s biggest hit. By the end of the decade, he had appeared in over 50 Hindi films grossing nearly Rs 500 crore collectively, placing him among the highest-earning character actors of the era, alongside Anupam Kher and Johnny Lever.

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A Legacy Beyond the Laughs

Satish Shah’s talent for blending humour with heart made him indispensable to Bollywood’s biggest hits. He may have never been the leading man, but in terms of box-office glory, he quietly beat the Khans at their own game.