'Patiala Babes' actor Anirudh Dave, who was recently discharged from the hospital after battling COVID-19 for over 55-days, revealed that actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik extended help and made sure he gets the best treatment and facilities when he needed it the most.
Dave was infected with COVID while shooting for a web series in Bhopal. Satish Kaushik was part of the same show that Dave was shooting for and the two developed a bond while filming the series. In fact, the two first became friends when Kaushik cast Dave in his film 'Choriyan Choron Se Kam Nahi Hoti'.
Now, while stating that Satish Kaushik helped him during his recovery from COVID, Anirudh said that the senior actor-filmmaker made him change his caller tune from a 'Mera Naam Joker' song to a track from the film 'Mr India'.
Anirudh told ETimes, "Satishji helped a lot. He spoke to the doctors and a lot of people for me...my caller tune was Kal khel mein hum ho na ho (from Raj Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker). Satishji said that I should change it to the Mr India one." Currently, Anirudh's caller tune is 'Zindagi Ki Yahi Reet Hai' from 'Mr India'.
When contacted, Satish Kaushik told ETimes, "I am delighted that Dave is alright now. I did just what I had to. But more than me, it was my friend Dilip Survyavanshi from Bhopal who helped."
For the uninitiated, Satish Kaushik and his daughter Vanishka had contracted COVID and both were hospitalised in March.
As for Anirudh, he also admits that the support of his family, doctors, nursing staff and friends from the entertainment industry helped tremendously.
Talking about his time at the hospital recovering from the virus, Anirudh said, "To see patients who are suffering, severe cases with various infections, hearing them howling in pain was quite tough, to say the least. Himmat rakhna mushkil tha. It was a painful time and one couldn't shut them out either as everyone was in one room in the ICU. After I shifted to a private room, the hustle-bustle of the hospital and watching emergency situations being dealt with was something I can never forget. Staying positive was not easy,"
"Karma does matter as if I have helped anyone in life or done any good, this is what I have earned. I feel maine yeh good wishes and love kamaya hai life mein. They helped in keeping up my strength and positive energy. I wouldn't be able to talk to people as I had an oxygen mask, so I would talk in sign language over video calls or text a bit. Even now, talking about all of it is making me so emotional," he shares while thanking his family for all the support.
On being asked how his wife welcomed him, he said, "It felt like coming home after winning a death-defying war. My parents, wife and in-laws were happy and relieved to see me back home. Finally, I could see the apple of my eye, my little Anishq, after two months, whom I missed the most. Shopu (he fondly calls his wife Shopu) baked a cake for me and my homecoming was celebrated with fanfare. I could see the happiness on everyone's faces."
The actor is currently in Kota and has been advised of bed rest for a month.