'Very hard taskmaster': Bhansali recalls working with Nana Patekar
What's the story
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is mourning the death of veteran actor Nana Patekar. The two had worked together in the 1999 film Khamoshi: The Musical, which was Bhansali's directorial debut. Speaking to Variety India, Bhansali said he was "indebted" to Patekar. "I was just starting out and got to work with him. It was not easy," he recalled.
Actor's commitment
'His level of dedication is unmatched'
Bhansali remembered Patekar as a "very hard taskmaster," adding that his arguments and anger came from a place of caring.
He said, "His level of dedication is unmatched. I remember for one dinner sequence, the chicken had gone stale."
"He snapped, 'Let's not waste time waiting for the chicken to be replaced.' He chewed on the stale chicken, spat it out, and chewed it again."
First meeting
'When I nervously called Patekar, he snapped...'
Bhansali revealed that his sister Bela Segal had introduced him to Patekar.
"I wanted him for Khamoshi: The Musical, my first directorial."
"But I had no access to him...When I nervously called Patekar, he snapped, 'Why do you have to come through someone else? Where is your own identity? Alright, you bring the script to my house.'"
After a week, Patekar had agreed to be in Bhansali's debut film.
Bhansali added, "His presence gave my debut a certain clout."
Industry reaction
Akshay Kumar mourned the loss
Patekar, who was 75, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa.
The news of his sudden demise has left the film industry in shock.
Akshay Kumar wrote, "He was one of those rare actors who never needed to do too much to make you sit up and watch."
"That voice, that intensity, that honesty in every performance...he was completely his own."