Mukesh Khanna shares an interesting anecdote about Nana Patekar from ‘Raja’ shoot

Mumbai: Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna remembered late actor Nana Patekar and shared an interesting anecdote from the sets of Indra Kumar’s 1995 film ‘Raja.’

He recalled an encounter that reflected Patekar’s instinctive approach to acting. Khanna told IANS that although he did not meet the actor at parties, their paths had crossed on several occasions. He recalled a particular incident during the shooting of 'Raja,' which starred Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Kapoor in the lead roles. “I haven't met Nana in parties, I don't go to parties. But I have had a lot of coincidences with him. I did a film, ‘Gang Gang’, a long time ago. Recently, I had an encounter with him, it was very interesting. I was doing a film of Indu Kumar, ‘Raja’,” Khanna said.

Recalling the shoot, Khanna said he had raised an objection to a particular scene involving his character and his sister. He felt the sequence did not fit with the image of his character and even stopped the shooting for nearly two hours. “I stopped the shooting of the film for two hours. I said, no Thakur will let a stranger enter his sister's room. And on top of that, touch. I stopped the shooting for two hours,” he recalled.

According to Khanna, Patekar approached him and explained the scene from an actor’s perspective. His reasoning eventually convinced Khanna to agree to perform the sequence. “Nana Patekar came to me... He said, ‘You are doing it for your sister.’ He convinced me a lot, then ultimately I agreed,” Khanna said. The ‘Shaktimaan’ actor said he initially felt the scene did not align with the image he had established for his character. However, he later agreed with Patekar’s interpretation.

“I said, 'I don't even have this image. Although later, in the end, in the whole climax, my image was also corrected. Indra Kumar understood that... (the character) will not do such a thing,” he said. Mukesh also recalled how Patekar would sometimes step in with suggestions for actors during the making of the film. He said Patekar’s interventions were viewed differently by the director and some members of the cast.

“Because he used to come in between and give instructions to the actor. ‘Mukesh, do this and that.’ And Madhuri used to say, ‘Why? How did you come? Why?’” Khanna recalled.

Khanna later discovered that Patekar did not eventually play the role he had been associated with in the film, with Paresh Rawal taking on the part.

Remembering Patekar’s contribution to cinema, the actor praised his dialogue delivery and acting abilities, calling him an actor for whom there was no replacement. “You will not find such an actor. Neither was, nor is, nor will be. His dialogue delivery...” Khanna said. He added that he understood the importance of dialogue delivery himself and admired the way Patekar handled dialogues.

Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away on October 8.

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