Ashwin Chitale Remembers Nana Patekar: 'Mere Marne Ke Baad Geeli Lakdi Se Mat Jalana, Logon Ko Takleef Hogi' - EXCLUSIVE

For actor Ashwin Chitale, memories of Nana Patekar go back to when he was just 11 years old and had only one film behind him. While working with Patekar in Taxi No. 9211, Chitale initially found the veteran actor intimidating, having formed an impression from his public persona and media appearances. But his experience on set revealed a different side of Patekar -- one that was considerate, caring and attentive to those around him.

Chitale recalls how, after a scene in which Patekar hugged him and Sonali Kulkarni, he casually told the actor that he was “so cold”. What followed was an act of kindness that stayed with him for years: Patekar asked whether the young actor had a vanity van. When Chitale said he did not, a vanity van was arranged for him the very next day. For Chitale, it became an early lesson in how to treat colleagues and co-artists.

In this conversation with The Free Press Journal, Chitale remembers the actor he knew away from the cameras, the two contrasting sides of Patekar he witnessed on set, and the lessons he continues to carry with him.

Q: You were just 11 when you worked with Nana Patekar in Taxi No. 9211. What is your first memory of him?

A: I was very young at that time. I was 11, so I have very blurry memories. But, of course, you have this imagination and a memory of a personality who is very intimidating. Because of what you see in the media and what is happening outside, you have a sense of fear towards him. That is what I had in the beginning.

My first memory is of shooting a scene in Taxi No. 9211 where he hugs me and Sonali Kulkarni in the very last scene of the movie. She played his family in the film. After they cut the shot, I told him, “You are so cold.”

He then asked me whether I had been given a vanity van. I didn’t even know what a vanity van was. I said no. The next day, there was a vanity van for me.

Later, we got to know that Nana had arranged it. It was very considerate of him because I was only 11. I had done just one film before that, Shwaas, which was my first film, and Taxi No. 9211 was my second film and my first Hindi film.

That was my first memory with him, and it has stayed with me for a long time. It was a lesson for me -- how to be considerate towards your colleagues and co-artists.

Q: At that age, did you realise that you were working with such a great actor?

A: No. I was just 11 years old. I wasn’t aware of, and really didn’t understand, what an actor or an artist was back then. For an 11-year-old boy, the only thing that matters is how a person interacts with you.

I couldn’t evaluate him based on how great an artist he was. I realise that now. At that time, it was simply about my personal interaction with him. And the way he interacted with me was very pleasant.

Q: What was Nana like with you off camera?

A: I had this sense of an intimidating personality because of what I had heard about him in the media. But he was really, really kind.

He would ask me if anything was bothering me. During lunch breaks, he would ask whether I had eaten something sweet. He would check on me.

Of course, it is not feasible to take care of your co-artists all the time. But whenever he had the time, he would ask me if I was okay. I was on the set with my mother, and he would also ask her whether I was facing any difficulty or having any trouble.

Q: How did he treat you as a child actor?

A: He treated me like the child that I was, and I loved that. At that time, I was “famous”. Everyone used to treat me more like a celebrity than a child.

But Nana didn’t give me any special treatment. At the same time, he was very considerate. I think he simply treated me the way I wanted to be treated -- and the way any child artist should be treated.

Q: Is there any particular moment from Taxi No. 9211 that you still cherish?

A: The first memory I told you about is very etched in my memory -- the hug scene at the end. But there was another incident.

There was a shot with Nana that was taking a lot of time. The shot was very small -- he just had to climb down the stairs and leave. I remember that scene because it was a very dramatic scene.

What struck me was how seriously he took the work. There was an intimidating side to him where he could literally steer everyone and make sure things were done properly. People knew that about him, and there was a certain discipline around him.

But at the same time, you had this very considerate and kind person in him. I could see both these sides of Nana while working with him.

Q: What is the one thing you learnt from Nana that has stayed with you?

A: I think it is the same thing I keep saying -- how to be kind to your co-artists and colleagues and how to be more considerate towards people.

I have also watched a lot of his interviews. He had a very philosophical approach towards life. He once said, “Mere marne ke baad mere antim sanskar par mujhe geeli lakdi se mat jalana, usse zyada dhuan niklega aur logon ko takleef hogi.”

People may have tears in their eyes when they hear something like that, but I think it shows how philosophically he looked at things. He didn’t take everything in life too seriously. That is something I can definitely learn from him.

Q: When you look back at Taxi No. 9211 today, what goes through your mind?

A: I just hope that he rests in peace.

I won the National Award when I was in fourth standard. I was eight or nine years old. Even then, I feel the same way about Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. I had met him, but I was so young that I couldn’t understand his greatness. I had seen him in the newspapers and on television.

I feel the same way about Nana. I wish I had known more about him and understood more about him when I was working with him. But even now, after some time, I may feel that I should have known more about him. That is the only thing I feel.

Q: If you had one chance to say something to Nana today, what would you tell him?

A: I just hope that wherever he is, he is at peace and as kind as I remember him. That’s it.