Some may call it a coincidence, some may call it a fated destiny, either way, it's a delight for fans to witness the re-release of Farah Khan's out-and-out masala potboiler - Main Hoon Na in theatres today.
Farah's directorial debut clocked 21 years in 2025, back in April. It was the perfect blend of cross-border action thriller, the feeling of simmering college romance and a little peppering of family drama.
Main Hoon Na, led by Shah Rukh Khan, might be the one film where he did not steal the show completely. Maybe it was the iconic Professor Madhav Rasai, played by comedy genius Satish Shah, aka the "Spitting Professor".
Satish Shah in Main Hoon Na
The veteran actor died on October 25, 2025, leaving behind a canvas of unforgettable laughs and memorable roles. With Main Hoon Na hitting the theatres, less than a week after him leaving us, the trend of re-releases seems to have found a sentimental connection for Satish Shah fans all across.
His quirks in Main Hoon Na are a reminder of why laughter followed every frame he graced.
Spit-Fire (Quite Literally)
Satish Shah as physics professor Madhav Rasai was the recurring gag that brought massive comic relief in the action thriller Main Hoon Na. Not only was his uncontrollable habit of spitting while talking, a "unique" characteristic that his role is remembered by, but his other traits also made him immensely memorable.
Cranky and always on the brink of overreacting to the antics of a bunch of unruly students, Madhav Rasai was a reminder of that one professor that we all must have encountered in our school life.
His intro scene begins with him screaming at Lucky aka Laxman - a carefree and indisciplined character played by Zayed Khan. The typical student who always annoys the professor with his nonchalance and disobedience. Professor Rasai leaves no stone unturned to pull him up every chance that he gets - sometimes it's for homework, other times it's just his rising temper to see Lucky the way he is as he angrily remarks, "Apna ghar hi samjho."
Zayed Khan in Main Hoon Na
And then, Satish Shah's Professor Rasai probably would be the first one to have an instant dislike for Shah Rukh Khan, in his character Major Ram Prasad Sharma, an Indian Army officer who is on an undercover operation to protect his senior's daughter while posing as her college mate.
Some Call Him King, Satish Shah Yelled, "PUNK!"
As Satish Shah sees Shah Rukh Khan for the first time, a new student in his class, he jumps right at it to taunt him.
He sweetly asks, "Naye ho, toh aaram se betho na? Pao uthake betho. No, I insist, pao toh tumhe uthana hi padhega."
Satish Shah in Main Hoon Na 🔥
— The Cinéprism (@TheCineprism) October 25, 2025
Om Shanti 💐 pic.twitter.com/9VuphYM9vZ
As an innocent Ram follows his instruction and puts his feet on his desk, the wrath unleashes, as does the spitting. The following outburst of Satish Shah is enough to leave the viewers in splits as he yells at the new student and drags him to the principal's office, only to find out that he has already arrived to introduce Ram to his batchmates.
Things only get worse when Chandni Chopra played by Sushmita Sen, comes strutting as the chemistry professor in St Paul's College, and becomes the "chaand" of every dil, including Professor Madhav Rasai's.
Lady Luck Incoming
Sushmita Sen as Chandni Chopra in Main Hoon Na had the filmiest entry that only Farah Khan could conjure. With her chiffon sarees to her lustrous locks, she could get heartbeats racing, befitting of a quintessential Hindi film heroine. And so, she did, and to add to it, Satish Shah played the role of a smitten kitten for a brief minute, quite impeccably.
Sushmita Sen in Main Hoon Na
As Sushmita Sen's character glides down the corridors of the college, everyone is in awe of her beauty and confidence. So is Professor Rasai, who gently fixes his side-parted greasy hair, and has a smirk on his face as she passes by.
2 random Satish Shah moments, that always made me giggle
— Vikram Bondal (@vicramb) October 28, 2025
1) When he's offered a rasgulla in a serious scene in Hum Saath Saath Hai and he makes that "Nahi chahiye" face at first
2) Main Hoon Na when he goes "Naye Ho" to SRK with that creepy expression
Also pic.twitter.com/8uv9ItIjFu
Ram (Shah Rukh Khan) seems to find it impossible to quit singing every time he sees Chandni. He marches to the staff room to apologise to his teacher, who he might have a crush on, only to be reprimanded by Professor Rasai, who comes to the rescue of Miss Chopra, apparently being harassed by a student.
Coming to her defence, Satish Shah nails the very spitting characteristic of his role, as he yells at Ram, calling him a "Punk" in a screeching voice, loud enough to terrify Ram, who then does a dramatic back arch much like that in the matrix to escape the spitting.
Concerned, Professor Rasai goes up to Chandni and asks her if she needs him to throw this student out. Distracted by the spitting that is more than the talking, Chandni assures him she'll take care of it. But what makes the staff room scene in the film so unforgettable is the tete-a-tete between Satish Shah and Shah Rukh Khan.
It's probably Farah Khan's own sense of comic timing that made her nail Satish Shah's role as the spitting professor Rasai so iconic.
Who could have thought of a pair of glasses that comes with wipers as a solution to this annoying habit of being spat at? In one of the scenes in the film, a student is seen wearing glares with wipers on it. He activates it as soon as Professor Rasai is done scolding him and spitting on him, doing something that always seems to come as a duo in all his conversations. From his demonic laugh to his narrowing eyes to express displeasure, the smallest of specifics made it a timeless supporting arc in the film's cast.
A scene from Main Hoon Na
However, Satish Shah was not completely convinced about playing the role of Professor Rasai.
No One, But Satish Shah
In one of his old interviews that resurfaced after his death, Satish Shah had revealed the prepping for being the 'Spitting Professor' and how it was not a cakewalk.
He had spoken about how he had to take 8 retakes as Shah Rukh Khan simply won't stop laughing. Satish Shah furthermore added that he would drink water and retain it in his mouth, speaking in an accentuated tone so that the water sprayed from his mouth every time he spoke.
Mai hoon na one of the best characters Satish Shah passed away , May his soul rest in peace ❤️🩹 pic.twitter.com/QBpc4e8AMq
— Aman 🇵🇱 (@DonajCR7) October 25, 2025
He continued that he got so angry after a point that he simply refused to do it, and even the final take had Shah Rukh Khan trying hard to control himself from bursting out. The veteran actor also mentioned how Farah and Shah Rukh had convinced him to do the role of Professor Rasai instead of the principal, which was later essayed by Boman Irani, as SRK simply put it, "We can't think of anybody else doing it."
After a few comical gags, Satish Shah's end scenes in the film are when he is flirting with a married woman on a telephone call in a booth, and a few terrorists interrupt. The actor's character makes even a serious plot hilarious, as he spits at the terrorists, saying, "Bandhook? "Pisthol?"
Very few films and characters have the kind of recall factor, as did Satish Shah as Professor Madhav Rasai. As Main Hoon Na re-releases in theatres today, while the occasion is of Shah Rukh Khan's 60th birthday, a lot of the audience might be Satish Shah fans. So long, Professor Madhav Rasai.
ALSO READ | What Satish Shah Texted Ratna Pathak Shah Just Three Hours Before His Death
