Nana Patekar, who passed away after suffering a heart attack in Goa on October 8, once shared candid stories about his early days in cinema, his friendship with Ajay Devgn and his approach to filmmaking. In interviews between 2015 and 2018, the actor discussed the experiences that shaped his career and the principles he followed on film sets.
Nana Patekar recalled rejecting a role in ‘Aaj Ki Awaz ‘
During the promotions of ‘Welcome Back’ in August 2015, Nana Patekar spoke to Bombay Times about how Smita Patil encouraged him to pursue acting. She knew him from Pune and introduced him to filmmaker Ravi Chopra for a role in ‘Aaj Ki Awaz’ (1984). Nana Patekar revealed that the first character offered to him was that of a rapist. Unhappy with the part, he refused it and confronted the person who had offered it. He eventually received another role in the film. “I came into films because of Smita Patil, who was already doing films and knew me from Pune. I had been reluctant, but she insisted. She took me to Ravi Chopra for a role in Aaj Ki Awaz (1984) and initially, I was offered a lousy role of one of the rapists. I said no and told them what kind of actor I was. I was annoyed and was leaving just when Smita came. She asked me, ‘Why are you going?’ I abused the person who had offered me that role. And then I got a better role, which also was not great, but I got recognized for that film.”
Why Nana Patekar sometimes walked off film sets
Nana Patekar was known for speaking his mind, and he once addressed reports of him walking away from film sets. In an interview with Mid-Day in February 2018, he explained that such situations could arise when writers failed to complete scripts on time. “I may sound arrogant, but it’s true that I interfere a lot on the sets. There have been times when I have even walked out. But these things happen when the scriptwriter has not written the script, and then he makes it up at the last minute. I am not a machine. I can’t learn the lines in half an hour.”
Nana Patekar’s funeral attended by Celebrities
Nana Patekar was laid to rest with full state honours at his farmhouse in Donje village, Pune, on Thursday night. Several actors like Jackie Shroff, Makarand Anaspure, Pravin Tarde, Anil Sharma also paid his last respects.
Remembering Nana Patekar’s film career
Born Vishwanath Patekar, the actor earned recognition for his intense performances across Hindi and Marathi cinema. Nana Patekar made his film debut with ‘Gaman’ in 1978. His career included memorable performances in ‘Parinda’, ‘Prahaar’, ‘Agni Sakshi’, ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’, ‘Shakti: The Power’, ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’, ‘Apaharan’, ‘Raajneeti’ and ‘Welcome’. His performance in ‘Parinda’ earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. In Marathi cinema, he also received recognition for films such as ‘Natsamrat’ and ‘Ole Aale’.Nana Patekar was last seen in Suresh Triveni’s ‘Subedaar’, alongside Anil Kapoor.