Nana Patekar died at 75 after a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. For filmmaker N. Chandra, the death is “a very personal loss” — and a reason to revisit the Rs 12-lakh film that made Patekar a leading man.
How Ankush came together on a Rs 12-lakh budget
Chandra told The Free Press Journal that he was initially considering another Marathi actor for Ankush, but the proposed fee exceeded the film’s budget. The project’s Anil Mattoo had seen Patekar’s antagonist in the Marathi play Purush and recommended him. Chandra watched the play and signed him.
The arithmetic was tight: the film’s budget was Rs 12 lakh, and Patekar accepted Rs 10,000 for the role. He had already appeared in smaller Hindi film parts, including the villain in B.R. Chopra’s Aaj Ki Awaz, but Ankush was his first leading role.
- Ankush: Patekar’s first film as hero; Chandra became known as a successful producer-director.
- Pratighaat: Patekar played an honest policeman who loses his sanity after his wife is raped.
- Wajood (1998): Patekar played a struggling artiste opposite Madhuri Dixit-Nene.
Why the casting still matters
Chandra’s account is a reminder of how Hindi cinema once built stars instead of buying them. One Marathi stage actor was too expensive for a small production; another, recommended because of a play, proved affordable and became a leading man. The numbers also mark how much the economics of filmmaking have changed.
Patekar later wrote and directed Prahaar, for which he underwent military training, driven by his admiration for the armed forces. Chandra remembered his wider interests: music, painting, sketching and rifle-shooting. “He was so warm and like a child,” he said.
Doctors declared Patekar dead at 5:20 am after attempting to revive him for nearly 45 minutes after he was brought for medical treatment, according to NDTV. His last rites were conducted with full state honours at his Pune farmhouse, including a three-gun salute.
Chandra said the loss extends beyond cinema and theatre to farmers and society, pointing to Patekar’s extensive charitable work. “How many filmmakers have had the honour and privilege of working with Nana Patekar thrice?” he asked.
Source: The Times of India
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