Veteran actor Nana Patekar died at the age of 75, leaving behind a career that defied the usual rules of the film industry. He recalled a time when Nana demanded ₹ 1 crore for a role, a figure even leading heroes were hesitant to ask for at the time, and remarkably, he got it. He was never an actor who needed to play the conventional hero to command attention. Paresh also shared a hilarious anecdote that perfectly captured Nana’s unapologetic personality.
Last year, actor Paresh Rawal offered a glimpse into the rare stature Nana enjoyed, even as a character artiste.
In a conversation with Lallantop in 2025, Paresh spoke about what set Nana apart from other character artistes and recalled the incident involving the producer. He said Nana once asked for ₹ 1 crore at a time when even leading heroes were hesitant to demand such a fee, and ended up getting the amount despite being a character artiste. Nana died at the age of 75 at his residence in Goa after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was rushed to hospital, but doctors could not save him despite attempting cardiac massage for 45 minutes to an hour. A doctor at Manipal Hospital told ANI that the veteran actor had texted and called a friend at around 2.30am after feeling unwell. After making his film debut with Gaman in 1978, he gradually established himself through powerful performances in films such as Salaam Bombay!, Parinda, Krantiveer and Agni Sakshi.
Paresh said in Hindi, “There is a producer, I won’t take the name. His performance in Parinda earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, while Krantiveer won him the National Film Award for Best Actor. He then recalled how Nana once made a producer wash the dishes after having a meal at his house. He asked, ‘Do you eat mutton? He ate. Now go clean the dishes. This is Nana Patekar, Baap hai voh (He’s a legend). He’s completely different, man. That soil is different. He had taken one crore rupees, and at that time, there was a huge uproar. Heroes didn’t used to demand that amount. Nana Patekar asked for it, and got it. However, by the time his friend reached his residence, Nana had become unconscious. Nana’s career in the film industry spanned more than four decades. Over the years, Nana proved that he did not need to be the conventional leading man to dominate a film. From gritty dramas such as Ab Tak Chhappan and Apaharan to comic turns in Welcome and Welcome Back, he repeatedly demonstrated his versatility and left a lasting impression whenever he appeared on screen.
Nana told him, come home. Nana said, ‘You ate, right?
