Anupam Kher Breaks Down After Meeting Satish Shah’s Widow Madhu: 'Her Memory Comes And Goes'

Veteran actor Anupam Kher recently opened up about his deeply emotional visit to his late friend and co-star Satish Shah’s wife, Madhu, after returning from Switzerland. The actor described the encounter

as “heartbreaking” and revealed that Madhu, who is reportedly in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, experiences fading memories — sometimes remembering that her husband is no more, and at other times, slipping into moments of unawareness.

“Her Memory Comes and Goes”

On Friday, Anupam shared a heartfelt video on Instagram where he spoke about meeting Madhu and reflected on the emotional weight of the conversation. Writing in Hindi, he admitted that he felt anxious before the visit, uncertain about what she remembered and how much she understood of the loss. “I knew she was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, but I didn’t know whether I should even mention Satish’s name,” he wrote. “I was afraid that it might bring back painful memories.”

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The actor further shared that he had promised Madhu before leaving that he would continue visiting her regularly.

In the video, Anupam recounted, “Madhu first recognised me and said, ‘Thank you for coming.’ And then she lost her memory… Woh phases mein aata hai (it comes in phases). She asked me how I was, and I didn’t want to talk about Satish’s death because I didn’t know how to bring it up. I didn’t want to trigger her sadness.”

He continued, “At one point, she suddenly said, ‘Chala gaya’ (he has gone). Tears filled her eyes — and then, in another moment, she forgot again.”

Singing and Memories

Anupam revealed that Madhu, who has always loved singing, asked him to join her for a few songs. “We sang together,” he said, “and I recorded some videos with her permission. She even told me to come again soon and eat food made by her.”

In one of the clips shared in his post, Madhu can be seen speaking fondly of Anupam’s wife, Kirron Kher, admiring her saree collection. “Kirron often tells me Madhu is very pretty,” Anupam told her in the video, to which Madhu responded with a smile, “I don’t mind that.”

Despite moments of laughter, the actor confessed to struggling with his emotions throughout the visit. “I had to remind myself that her memory isn’t the same anymore,” he said. “But I still felt bad, selfish even, for thinking that maybe she wasn’t feeling the pain of Satish’s loss as intensely as I was.”

“Life Is Fragile”

What broke him completely, he said, was something Madhu mentioned as he was leaving. “When I was about to go, she said, ‘Come again for lunch, but… he may not be there.’ I somehow held my tears until I stepped out of the house — and then, I couldn’t control them.”

Anupam ended his video urging people to care for their loved ones while they still can. “Life is fragile,” he said softly. “Don’t wait to tell your parents, siblings, or friends how much they mean to you. Don’t live with regrets.”

Satish Shah’s Passing

Satish Shah passed away on October 25 at the age of 74 after collapsing at his Mumbai residence during lunch. Though he had undergone a kidney transplant earlier this year, actor Rajesh Kumar confirmed that the cause of death was a heart attack. His funeral was held on Sunday, followed by a prayer meet on Monday attended by family, friends, and colleagues from the industry.