Mamta Kulkarni recalls fond memories of Nana Patekar: ‘He treated me like a child’

Mumbai: Actress Mamta Kulkarni recalled her fond memories of veteran actor Nana Patekar.

She remembered their collaborations in ‘Tiranga’ and ‘Krantiveer’ and the warmth he showed her when they lived in the same building in Mumbai’s Lokhandwala. In an interaction with IANS, Mamta spoke about Patekar’s caring nature and recalled how he would often ask her to dry her wet hair before leaving for early-morning film shoots, concerned that she might fall ill.

“It is very sad that Nana Patekar is no more. You all know that I have worked with him in two films. Both of them are made by the same maker, Mr. Mehul Kumar. I worked with him in the film, Tiranga, which became a super hit. Then I worked with him in the film, Krantiveer, which became a blockbuster. Nana Patekar and I used to live in the same building in Lokhandwala,” she said.

Recalling their encounters during the early hours of the morning, Mamta said she would often see Patekar playing badminton as she left for work. She would greet him, and he would notice her wet hair and advise her to dry it before heading to the set.

“I used to leave for shooting at 5.30 or 6 in the morning. Nana Patekar used to play badminton when I left. Whenever I saw him, I used to lower my glasses. I used to greet him. I used to tell him that my hair is wet. He used to tell me to go home and dry my hair. I used to tell him that I am going on a set. He used to tell me to go home or else I would fall sick. He treated me like a child,” she recalled.

The ‘Karan Arjun’ actress also spoke about Patekar’s simplicity and his friendly demeanor, saying that despite his stature as an actor, he never displayed airs of stardom.

“Nana Patekar is a brilliant actor. He is always in his character. I worked with him in both the films, Tiranga and Krantiveer. He won awards for both the films. Nana Patekar is a down-to-earth person. We used to live in the same building,” she said.

Mamta further recalled visiting the actor at his home, where he would ask her what she wanted to eat. When she asked for tea, he would direct her to the kitchen to prepare it herself, reflecting his unpretentious nature.

“He was a very simple man. He used to sit on the terrace. There was no star-like personality,” Mamta added.

Nana Patekar passed away on October 8, 2026, at the age of 75.

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