In the sprawling, often ego-driven landscape of Bollywood, few names evoke as much reverence—and apprehension—as Nana Patekar. He is the quintessential “volatile” genius, an actor whose internal combustion engine of talent is matched only by the legendary tales of his temper. Yet, for veteran filmmaker Mehul Kumar, the man behind some of the most iconic cinematic clashes in Indian history, Nana was not a ticking time bomb. He was, quite simply, family.
Sitting down to discuss a career that bridged the gap between the industry’s greatest titans, Mehul Kumar reflects on the enigma that was Nana Patekar. With a career spanning decades and heavy-hitting collaborations like Tiranga, Krantiveer, and Kohram, Kumar’s perspective offers a rare, intimate look at a man who was often misunderstood by the public but cherished by those who managed to navigate the complexities of his personality.
The Myth of the “Impossible” Actor
There is a prevailing narrative in the industry that working with Nana Patekar is a trial by fire. When Mehul Kumar first approached the actor for Tiranga, the film was already a logistical puzzle. With stars like Rajinikanth and Naseeruddin Shah turning down the role, the director found himself at the doorstep of a man whose reputation for moodiness preceded him.
“I went to his Lokhandwala house and told him the story,” Kumar recalls. “He liked it, but he had one major reservation: Raj Kumar.”
Raj Kumar, another titan of the era, was equally renowned for his unpredictable nature on set. Nana’s ultimatum was blunt: he would commit to the film, but the moment Raj Kumar interfered with his process or attempted to flex his seniority in a way that disrupted the work, Nana would walk. It was a classic “immovable object meets an unstoppable force” scenario. Yet, Kumar successfully managed the collision.
“I had absolutely no problem with them,” Kumar says with a chuckle. “In the beginning, they didn’t sit together. But once we shot the song ‘Pee Le Together,’ they came very close. Nana was the backbone of Tiranga and later Krantiveer.”
Navigating the Giants: Patekar and Bachchan
If the Tiranga experience proved Kumar could handle two legends, Kohram took the challenge to a new level. The film marked the historic pairing of Amitabh Bachchan and Nana Patekar. Even a seasoned icon like Bachchan had his concerns.
“Amitji asked me, ‘I am doing this film for you. There won’t be any problem with Nana, right? Because his reputation is everywhere,'” Kumar recounts. The director’s reassurance—based on his unique, harmonious working relationship with Patekar—was enough to calm the waters. Despite the rumors of friction, the set remained professional, creative, and remarkably peaceful. Kumar’s secret? Radical transparency. He told his leads, “If you have a problem, we discuss it. But we aren’t changing the story.” It was a simple, old-school approach to respect that worked where complex contract negotiations often failed.
Beyond the Arc Lights: A Personal Bond
While the industry saw the intense method actor who might snap at the slightest provocation, Kumar saw a man who led a remarkably disciplined life. “He used to lead such a healthy life—in his eating and his drinking,” Kumar says. “He had only one problem: temper. But underneath that, he had a very kind heart.”
The bond transcended the director-actor dynamic. The relationship became deeply familial; Kumar’s wife even celebrated Raksha Bandhan with Nana, tying a rakhi to him every year. It wasn’t uncommon for Nana to call the house out of the blue, simply saying, “I am coming over today.” This was the Nana Patekar that the paparazzi rarely saw: the man who craved the normalcy of a family meal rather than the artificial glare of a premiere.
The Unfinished Business of ‘Krantiveer 2’
The tragedy of losing a creative partner is often magnified by the projects that remain on the cutting room floor of the imagination. For Mehul Kumar, that ghost project is Krantiveer 2.
The director had already finalized the subject, and more importantly, he had already secured Nana’s verbal commitment. Given their track record, there was little doubt that they could have recreated the magic of the original 1994 masterpiece. Now, as Kumar reflects on the career they built together—the hits that defined a decade and the quiet moments of mentorship and friendship—the absence of the actor is profoundly felt.
A Legacy of Integrity
Mehul Kumar stands as the only director to have collaborated with Nana Patekar on three major motion pictures, a feat he wears as a badge of honor. When asked why he was the one to tame the “volatile” actor, Kumar’s answer is surprisingly simple. He didn’t try to tame him; he respected him.
“He used to say, ‘I have only one director with whom I never had any problem, and that is Mehul Kumar,'” the director says. In an industry defined by fleeting alliances and manufactured drama, that mutual respect served as the foundation for some of the most powerful performances in Hindi cinema. Nana Patekar was never a man to be managed—he was a man to be understood. And in Mehul Kumar, he found a filmmaker who understood exactly how to turn a temperamental fire into cinematic gold.
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