RIP Nana Patekar: A Titan of Indian Cinema Bids Farewell: Three missed cine opportunities with Sridevi

 

lMUMBAI — Indian cinema lost one of its most electrifying screen forces this morning. Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away in Goa at the age of 75 following a sudden cardiac arrest. He was declared dead at 5:20 a.m. after resuscitation efforts failed, with his son, Malhar Patekar, confirming the tragic news. 

Born Vishwanath Patekar in 1951, the mercurial actor worked in Marathi theatre and gritty art house cinema for years. His career ran in stark parallel to the mainstream Hindi movie ecosystem: while iconic contemporaries reigned over commercial cinema, Patekar carved a formidable niche in non-conventional, character-driven roles. 

His brreakthrough and success came in his late 30s with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Parinda (1989). His fierce, volcanic screen energy earned him top honors:

National Film Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Parinda (1989), Best Actor for Krantiveer (1994), and Best Supporting Actor for Agnisakshi (1996). 

Filmfare Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Parinda (1990), Best Villain for Angaar (1993), Best Actor for Krantiveer (1995), and Best Villain for Apaharan (2006). 

Padma Shri: Conferred in 2013 for his distinguished contributions to Indian Art and Cinema — extraordinarily, in the exact same year Sridevi received her own Padma Shri honor from the Government of India. 

Patekar was married to Neelakanthi Patekar; the couple had a son, Malhar. While Malhar chose a career in film production rather than acting, Patekar’s personal life remained private.

Despite a 12-year age gap — Patekar born in 1951 and Sridevi in 1963 — film history links them through three tantalizing missed opportunities. The most infamous was Yugpurush (1998), a project originally conceived to pair the two powerhouses before Sridevi eventually exited. 

Later, Patekar delivered a celebrated performance in Shakti: The Power (2002), produced by Sridevi and Boney Kapoor; Sridevi was originally meant to star alongside him on screen, but her pregnancy with daughter Khushi Kapoor necessitated passing the role to Karisma Kapoor. 

Unverified online rumors also suggested Sridevi was offered Krantiveer (1994) before Dimple Kapadia took the role... but this might be nothing but that; rumour. 

Patekar held immense respect for Sridevi, repeatedly praising her unmatched screen presence and expressive genius in retrospective interviews. Sridevi, too, expressed deep admiration for his fierce talent, once remarking in features across Filmfare and Stardust that not sharing the screen with an actor of Nana Patekar’s caliber remained one of the true missed opportunities and losses of her artistic career.

With his passing earlier today, Indian cinema bids farewell to a fiery titan whose artistry remains  unmatched. Even his recent tell-all interviews wildly circulated on social media, especially on YouTube, reminds us of the fire within him, that often burst out. 

That's the thing with truth-tellers, we may admire them from afar, but not like the bitter pills they ask us to swallow. 

RIP legend. 

Jackie Shroff, Sridevi and Nana Patekar in the poster of Yugpurush: Rare publicity shots

Jackie Shroff, Sridevi and Nana Patekar in the poster of Yugpurush, shot by Rakesh Shreshta. Rare find!

The only film that would have Sridevi and Nana Patekar together, Sridevi opted out of the film after its announcement. 

Sridevi addressed the issue in several interviews in Stardust and Filmfare. The Stardust July 1996 excerpt;

However, she obviously wasn't motivated enough by her role in Yugpurush. A dream role in a prestigious film opposite Nana Patekar and Jackie Shroff. A move that has triggered a debate on how she doesn't take her career seriously any more.

"The character I was supposed to play in Yugpurush," she explained "Is a very good character. There was only one thorn in the flesh, I was supposed to be playing a prostitute. Somewhere I think I have developed a mental block against playing a prostitute. I get uncomfortable and so I guess I won't be able to do full justice to the character."

That isn't all. In her apathy towards the character Sri has definitely ruffled a few feathers. Nana for one is reportedly cut up with her refusal, since he was very keen to work with her. "Why are you mentioning only his side of the story?" she goes on like a petulant child, "Even I wanted to work with him. I think he is a very convincing actor, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to work with him in Yugpurush, but I am hoping to work with him in the near future."

In spite of this mutual respect, it is rather strange that she didn't even acknowledge him when they came face to face, "Aisa to kuch nahin (Nothing like that). I am not suffering from myopia or any other eye sight problem. The moment I saw him, I wished him and he also wished me. And he asked about my mom's health, that was a gesture that really touched me. It was as if he relating to me as a person not just as an actress."

Filmfare, May 1996:

So why did you opt out of Yugpurush?

Sridevi: There you go again. Let me just say I wasn’t too happy with my role. So I spoke to the producer and we decided to part.

But you did sign Yugpurush after being told about your role.

Sridevi: Yes, I did. But I wasn’t completely convinced about the role…it’s the role of a streetwalker. I have a mental block about playing a... err… prostitute. I know, as an actress, one must try and do as many different roles as possible… phir bhi [but still], I have a block about this. I know actresses have won National Awards by playing such a role…still I couldn’t get myself to do it.

Is it because Nana Patekar and Boney Kapoor don’t get along?

Sridevi: Why drag poor Boneyji into all this?

Adding to the conversation, Manisha Koirala who went on to take over the role, spoke about the musical chairs of the film's casting; 

MOVIE magazine: What do you have to say about Sridevi refusing Yugpurush (which you are doing now because she didn’t want to play a prostitute?

Manisha Koirala: I feel sad because I feel she has missed the role of a lifetime. When I am given the scenes to read, I feel I could die for these scenes. Believe me, That an argument with my director and my co-stars I say so much scope in that role. The argument was a result of my passion. Now I think What if she’d done it, man? She could have done wonders. She’s one of our best actresses. If only she’d got out of her beliefs and not got caught in the glamorous trap.

--Manisha Koirala in MOVIE Magazine, 1996

Well, despite all the talk and media buzz, the film barely broke even and the movie was no great shakes that impressed neither the audience nor the critics. Oh well. Que sera sera... 

• Sridevi with Nana Patekar here
• Sridevi's full interview with Filmfare in the archive here.
• Sridevi's full interview with Stardust in the archive here. 

 

Above: The photoshoot and look test Sridevi, 33, did for the film with her photographer of choice, Rakesh Shreshta. Though the film didn't work out, the images were in print for most of 1996!

Sridevi with Nana Patekar: A jodi that tried but never made it on screen

Nana Patekar and Sridevi almost did Yugpurush together but Sri opted out before the film went on the floors. It would have been great to see these stalwarts together. Both stars addressed the issue in several interviews as they missed out on working with the other. Sridevi spoke in Stardust, (July '96) and also in Filmfare (May '96) back in 1996. 

It would have been an experience to see these thespians. Alas. Wasn't meant to be. 

Nana Patekar, Showtime, Sept '96. 

Left: Nana Patekar in a tell-all interview with Showtime in later months. 

"According to Sridevi, she walked out of Yug Purush because she was uncomfortable about doing a prostitute's role. It's just a character after all. You don't have to identify with every character you play. Tomorrow if I'm offered the role of a homosexual I'll do it. I don't necessarily have to identity with it." -- Nana Patekar. 

Post Mortem: Well, the film went through several ups and downs; Ashwini Bhave replaced Deepti Bhatnagar, the music of the film was supposed to release on the new audio label Big B, however, when ABCL went bankrupt, the music rights were bought by T Series - however, none of the songs were particularly memorable nor did they hit the top of the charts. The movie barely recovered its exorbitant costs and tanked at the box-office and generally got mixed reviews. Despite the same cast of super successful Agnisakshi, Nana Patekar, Manisha Koirala and Jackie Shroff couldn't recreate any of the magic or success. Looks like Sridevi wisely opted out at the right time.