Mahesh Manjrekar On His ‘Natsamrat’ Nana Patekar: ‘He Was A Farmer Who Accidentally Became An Actor’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Mahesh Manjrekar has known Nana Patekar since the actor’s early theatre days in the 1980s, long before they collaborated on “Natsamrat”. Their relationship grew from professional admiration into a close friendship. Manjrekar recalls a side of Patekar audiences rarely got to see: the fiercely passionate actor who could also be playful, affectionate and almost childlike in his excitement about cinema.

Speaking exclusively to Variety India from London, where he is currently performing a Marathi play, Manjrekar opened up about Patekar’s passing, his memories of making “Natsamrat,” the actor’s vastly different approach to his craft and the projects they once discussed working on together.

How long would you say you have known him?

I've known Nana since 1985. Before he started, he had done theater. We were sold on his play "Purush." It came like a bolt from the blue. It made him a star overnight. We were doing theatre at the time and for us, Nana was like God. I still remember when he got a film called "Andha Yug." He called us to the shoot at Filmalaya. We were in awe of him. It was our first time on the set. A production guy came and tried to shoo us away. You  should have seen Nana react. He just shouted at that guy. From that day, he became our hero for life. He was a fabulous cook, by the way. I would go to his farm and cook. We would just sit and chat while he used to cook mutton. He was a farmer who accidentally became an actor.

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Share the experience of casting Nana and working with him on ‘Natsamrat’.

Even before I wrote the film, I told him that he is playing "Natsamrat." It was a selfish idea of mine to make a film on the original play. I kept getting the feeling it couldn't be adapted for film. But we finally did. And in his own way, he did a perfect job of it. Before going on set, he knew the whole film by heart. 

Why didn't you work with him again after ‘Natsamrat’?

To work again together, we needed something which was extraordinary. There's a very wonderful play by Vijay Tendulkar, "Sakharam Binder." Nana said, "Let’s  do that." I told him that I couldn't see it as a film adaptation. I said, "I won't be able to do justice to it if I'm not convinced." 

The last time we spoke, he just called me out of the blue. He'd call up and talk about every project like an excited child. He was always filled with exciting ideas.

Now those ideas will remain ideas.

I always feel that people like Nana don't die. I thought he'll be eternal. I was checking out his Instagram page a night before his passing. I saw this piece where he analyzed a book someone had written in Marathi and English about a guy who walked for 15,000 kms. He read from it in a soft voice. He looked pale and I was already concerned about him talking softly. I saw that it was around 4:30 AM IST. I thought of calling him first thing in the morning. The next morning, he was gone. When I was watching this in London, he was dying there in Goa. And he was very healthy. Which is why I sometimes feel it is better to be a little unwell. Go to a doctor, get yourself checked. I have seen most people who don't drink, have never smoked, go to the gym regularly, die of heart attacks at 35. Any day, suddenly, it can happen. Nana left just like that.