Nana Patekar’s demise has left the film industry mourning the loss of one of Indian cinema’s most distinctive actors. Remembering the veteran actor, Manoj Bajpayee spoke exclusively to Filmfare about their friendship, their frequent disagreements, Nana’s generosity and the impact he had on actors like him who came from theatre.
Manoj revealed that he first learnt about Nana’s demise through a message from filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma. “I woke up with Ram Gopal Varma’s text message about Nana. I had forgotten to switch off the phone to silent mode, so I was woken up to this rude shock. I kept reading the message again and again, hoping it was wrong. First, I thought it was some practical joke that Ramu (Ram Gopal Varma) was playing. He’s always playing the fool. Then it dawned on me it was serious,” he recalled.
Manoj remembered meeting Nana after a Filmfare Awards function, around the time of Satya. Nana, he said, was happy for him. He later visited Nana’s modest home in Andheri, where the veteran actor would offer him advice about navigating the film industry.
“I recall going to his modest house in Andheri and, over cups of tea, him giving me advice on how to conduct myself in the business,” Manoj said.
The two actors spent considerable time together while shooting Prakash Jha’s Raajneeti, and their strong personalities often led to arguments. However, Manoj said Nana’s criticism always came from a place of honesty.
“We would argue a lot. If he didn’t agree with a shot of mine, he would tell me so. And I would respond and tell him why I did it that way. He could be offensive, but he was all heart. And that’s why his straight-talking ways offended people. He lacked diplomacy and maybe some nuance,” he shared.
Manoj also recalled a personal gesture that stayed with him. During the shoot of Raajneeti in Bhopal, Nana’s son Malhar visited him. Nana asked Malhar to seek Manoj’s blessings and spend time listening to him to understand the industry and life better.
But it was during the same shoot that Nana’s support became particularly meaningful for Manoj. His mother-in-law had been diagnosed with cancer, and Nana went out of his way to help the family find the right medical care.
“It was during Raajneeti that my mother-in-law was detected with cancer and Nana spoke to so many doctors and helped me out so that I got the best facilities and medical care for her. I was really touched when I saw him going out of his way to do things,” Manoj recalled.
For Manoj, this was quintessential Nana Patekar, a man who could be brutally direct while simultaneously being deeply caring.
“He was that person. Straight-faced, he could give you gaalis and at the same time he would ensure you were okay. Like I said, he had zero filters. If he made you his friend, he embraced you ferociously and defended you,” he said.
Manoj also spoke about the larger impact Nana had on actors coming from theatre. Watching Nana’s performances in films like Ankush and Aaj Ki Awaaz gave Manoj the confidence that theatre actors could find their place in mainstream Hindi cinema.
“It’s actors like Nana Patekar who gave hope to theatre actors like us. When I saw Ankush and Aaj Ki Awaaz, and what he had done in it, it gave me hope that we could still make our mark in the world of mainstream cinema in Bombay. I think the courage of an actor like Nana Patekar gave us all courage to take that train to Mumbai,” he said.
Manoj described Nana as a man of “severe contradictions,” someone who could make people uncomfortable with his bluntness one moment and deeply move them with his words the next.
“One minute he could make you distinctly uncomfortable and yet the other say something so deep that it would touch you immensely. Sometimes I think he was just black and white,” he reflected.
Nana had also wanted Manoj to be part of a couple of other films. According to Manoj, the actor would tell him that the directors would get in touch with him for narrations, though those projects never materialised.
Despite their disagreements and Nana’s famously unfiltered personality, Manoj said he would remember him most fondly as someone who always stood by him.
“I will remember him more as an elder brother who had my back. I was offered liquor during Raajneeti days and he would rib me mercilessly for having wine,” he recalled with a smile.
For Manoj, however, Nana’s greatest legacy remains his craft. He believes the actor’s personality often overshadowed the uniqueness of his work, something he hopes audiences and fellow actors will now examine more closely.
“Nana Patekar was one of the finest actors of Indian cinema and the most unique actor with the most unique craft. I just hope that people would start doing that research on his approach now, at least after his demise,” Manoj said.
“We were either completely enamoured or intimidated by the personality that he was. In that, we forgot to see the uniqueness of his craft. He was unbeatable,” he added.
Also read: Remembering Nana Patekar’s Best Films: Parinda, Krantiveer, Welcome and More
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