I am still in a state of shock! What can I say about this very personal loss? Cinema, theater, farmers—his death is a severe loss to all. His charity work was huge. And he had so much to society. He went too early.
First association
Our association began with Ankush, for which I was considering a Marathi star, who asked for a remuneration way beyond my budget. Anil Mattoo, who was in my film, had watched Nana’s searing performance as the antagonist in the Marathi play, Purush, and recommended Nana’s name. I watched the play and signed him. My film’s was just Rs. 12 lakh and he readily took the Rs 10,000 that I offered him.
Mutual Funds
And then, when funds ran out during the shoot, Nana did me a huge favour he did not need to—he raised Rs. 2 lakh by mortgaging his own house! When the film became a hit, I repaid him, and also gifted him my brand-new scooter.
Rising together
Nana had earlier done small roles in Hindi and B.R. Chopra’s film, Aaj Ki Awaz, as villain, but Ankush was his first film as hero. And while he became a known lead actor in Hindi cinema with Ankush, I became known as a successful producer-director. I then cast Nana in a parallel role to protagonist Sujata Mehta in Pratighaat. He played the honest policeman who loses his sanity when his wife is raped by the villain. And in 1998, he was my hero, playing a struggling artiste, with Madhuri Dixit-Nene opposite him, in Wajood. How many filmmakers have had the honour and privilege of working with Nana Patekar thrice?
A bond forever
I remember Nana’s fondness for the Armed Forces. That was the reason why he himself wrote and directed Prahaar, for which he also taken real Army training. Nana loved music, painting, sketching and also learnt rifle-shooting. He was so warm and like a child. And I still cannot believe he is no more, for our bond is forever.
