Mumbai, Oct 8 (PTI) Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali still remembers the moment he spotted Nana Patekar’s electrifying performance in the Marathi version of the play “3 Penny Opera” and instantly decided to cast him in “Gaman”.
The 1978 drama movie was the debut project for both Ali and Patekar, who delivered a string of acclaimed performances in movies such as “Parinda”, “Krantiveer” and “Yeshwant”.
Patekar died in the early hours of Thursday after suffering a heart attack. The 75-year-old was found unconscious at his Goa apartment and was taken to a private hospital where he was declared dead.
Ali’s only regret is that he didn’t have a bigger role to offer to the actor in “Gaman”, which featured Smita Patil and Farookh Sheikh in lead roles. Patekar was 25 at the time.
“I saw him in an opera, ‘3 Penny Opera’, about which I had read. He was in a Marathi version of it. He was electrifying, his performance was so good that I wish I had a huge role to offer him. But he and I agreed to work together,” Ali told PTI.
“So, I found him and I got him. I think Sai Paranjpye was also with me. He was a kind of an opening (point) into the world of Marathi theatre; he could bridge the moving frame and the static stage. So, he was quite a powerful persona, as somebody who could command his space, both in a frame and on stage. For me, to discover that in Bombay was very good. (I feel) very lucky to have seen that play.”
The actor-director duo never worked again as Ali went on to direct “Umrao Jaan” and Patekar found his niche as an intense artiste in commercial cinema of the 90s.
“We would meet in functions and parties and premieres,” Ali said about his film on migrant struggle, crediting the actor for introducing him to the Marathi world of acting and stalwarts such as Sulabha Deshpande and Arvind Deshpande.
During “Gaman”, Patekar not only worked as an actor but also helped Ali off camera.
“He stood by me, he did everything for me. He was an artist, he was a graphic designer, for anything I wanted, Nana was there. He became like part of my life. After that, he did well. For me, finding Nana at the right time was a very big miracle.”
Ali said Patekar always had a strong presence and while people often talk about his temperament, he was known for his warmth and helpful nature in the industry.
“He was a no-nonsense guy, and he did what he thought was right. He was like a younger brother to me; he was a great pillar of strength. So, we were not like an actor-director kind of relationship. He was so good with Smita, I thought Smita and he would make a great combination on screen,” Ali said.
The director said he could not cast Patekar in “Umrao Jaan” as he had a sharp Marathi intonation and his film was about Awadh of the past. “(But) I should have done more work with him,” he said.
According to Ali, Patekar had “very clear, deep, secular human values” and he was “compassionate” and someone who could stand no nonsense.
The director said when he made “Gaman”, he was employed with Air India and Nana was a “pure theatre actor”. They, he said, never spoke about money.
“We were all youngsters. It was his first film; it was my first film. I borrowed money from NMDC. Fortunately, I was working with Air India. So, I had a job. I was not really a struggler. But he didn’t come to me for money. We became friends.
“…He felt he could enjoy and relate to many more things that I was interested in… whatever I could pay him, I paid him. He was just a person who was passionate about discovering things, getting to know people, and doing things. And then he found his way. Both of us were lucky to have met when we met,” Ali said. PTI KKP BK RB
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