Often, the screen image of an actor tends to stick. For years, Bollywood's Pran was viewed as a rank bad villain till he switched. Comedian Asrani, also from the same stable, was a joker on screen. But they were not quite that. Off-screen, Pran was quite a nice guy, and Asrani reportedly rubbed people the wrong way.
Once, he was reportedly seen throwing his weight at a hotel reception in Ooty (now called Uthagamandalam). Similarly, Nana Patekar, who died suddenly on October 8 at home in Goa's Dona Paula—where he lived most of his adult life—had a temper that tarnished his image and style.
Although born in a small Maharashtra village, he spent most of his adult life in Goa. But much before fame came knocking at his doors, controversy did, and it came like an angry avalanche, threatening to sweep away all that he had earned. Like, for instance, the three National Film awards, which came as a hard-won recognition of his performances—intense and fiery.
An Intense Screen Presence
This was the image Patekar conveyed in most of his films, that of a ruffian—crude, rude and inconsiderate; a powerful performer, whose intense looks were so menacing that they sent a shiver down his opponents' spines. His movies conveyed these. In Krantiveer (1994), he essayed Pratap Narayan, fighting societal corruption. In Parinda (1989), he was a goonda.
As Anna Seth, he was so fierce and furious that the men outside his set would often wonder whether this was the person they had watched under the arc lamps. Perhaps, he was his most genteel self in Khamoshi (1996). His co-star, Helen, remembered the fun they had together while shooting Khamoshi: dancing and frolicking on the sands!
Beyond Films And Controversies
Patekar was not just an actor; he was a friend of the farmer. He was deeply moved by the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra and helped their cause through the Naam Foundation, which he co-founded in 2015 along with actor Makarand Anaspure. Patekar never drove a luxury car and lived in a very modest house.
What is more, he served on the front and fought alongside soldiers in the Kargil war. Still, all these could not erase his image as one whose temper was terrible and who spoke his mind, causing intense agony to those around him. But, he was candid about his behaviour and once rued that he could not stop being so livid.
He courted controversy when actor Tanushree Dutta accused him of sexual harassment a few years ago. It was never proved. Sadly, the controversy continues even after his death, generated by the actress’s harsh comment.
