Mumbai (PTI): Actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik passed away following a heart attack early Thursday morning, said his close friend and industry colleague Anupam Kher.

He was 66.

According to Kher, Kaushik was at a friend's home in Delhi when he complained of uneasiness.

"He felt uneasy and he told driver to take him to the hospital and on the way he suffered a heart attack around 1 am," Kher told PTI.

In a tweet earlier, Kher said he was shocked to hear about Kaushik's sudden death.

"I know that death is the ultimate truth but never in my dreams I thought that I would have to write that about my best friend Satish Kaushik. A sudden full stop to 45 years of friendship. Life will never be the same without you Satish! Om Shanti," Kher tweeted.

An alumnus of the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India, Kaushik was best known for his roles in films such as "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron", "Mr India", "Deewana Mastana", and "Udta Punjab".

Kaushik's last post on his official Twitter account was a series of pictures from the annual Holi celebrations organised by noted lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar on March 7 in Mumbai.

"Colourful Happy Fun #Holi party at Janki Kutir Juhu by @Javedakhtarjadu @babaazmi @AzmiShabana @tanviazmi.. met the newly wed beautiful couple @alifazal9 @RichaChadha .. wishing Happy Holi to everyone #friendship #festival #Holi2023 #colors," he wrote.

Known for his comic timing, Kaushik was also a director. His most popular films as a filmmaker are Salman Khan starrer "Tere Naam" and "Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai", starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tusshar Kapoor.

Actor Kangana Ranaut, who worked with Kaushik in her upcoming film "Emergency", remembered the actor as a "kind and genuine man".

"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," she tweeted.

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

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Kolkata, Sep 24: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday mocked the Indian Railways, asserting that it has created a “world record” in derailments.

Banerjee’s comments came hours after a few wagons of an empty goods train jumped tracks in the state’s Jalpaiguri district.

"What is happening with the Railways? Even today, there is the news of derailment. The Railways has created a world record in derailments. But, nobody says anything?" she told reporters after an administrative review meeting in Birbhum.

"People's safety and security is in danger, and they are scared of travelling in trains. Where is the railway minister? Only asking for votes during elections will not help, you have to be by the side of people when they are in danger," Banerjee said.

Five wagons of an empty goods train derailed at New Maynaguri railway station in Jalpaiguri district on Tuesday morning.

No injuries were reported in the incident that occurred around 6.20 am, officials said.

Banerjee, who had served as railway minister twice, claimed that she had run the department smoothly and allocated several projects for West Bengal.

"As the railway minister, I had sanctioned projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore for Bengal," the CM said.

The Railways, in a recent report, had mentioned there were 18 attempts to derail trains across the country since August.