New Delhi. After the demise of veteran Bollywood actor Nana Patekar, stories related to him are continuously coming to light. Nana Patekar, who won the hearts of the audience with his powerful acting on screen, was known for his outspokenness and generosity in real life too. His close friend and actor Shivaji Satam has shared emotional stories remembering Nana which bring out a different aspect of his personality. According to Shivaji Satam, Nana was not only his friend but also stood by him like a real brother in the difficult times of his life. Shivaji became emotional especially remembering the way Nana helped his wife while she was battling cancer.
In the condolence meeting named Athvanitale Nana organized in the memory of Nana Patekar at the PL Deshpande Maharashtra Art Academy campus in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Shivaji Satam narrated many stories of their almost 40 years old friendship. He told that his relationship with Nana was very special and Nana also played an important role in getting him the opportunity to work in Hindi films. Shivaji Satam said that when he heard the news of Nana's demise, he could not believe it. There was a close friendship between the two for a long time and Nana always encouraged him to move forward.
Shivaji Satam told that Nana Patekar had a big contribution in working in his first Hindi film Yashwant. The producers had approached Shivaji for the role of a police officer in the film but initially he was not ready to play the role. When he refused, the producers talked to Nana. After this, Nana, in his special way, explained to his friend and convinced him to do the film. According to Shivaji, Nana wanted him to get opportunities in Hindi cinema as per his talent and so that he could make his own identity.
Another interesting story of friendship is related to their fees. Shivaji Satam told that when Nana came to know how much money he was being given for the film, he got angry. He believed that Shivaji should have got better remuneration according to his hard work. Nana himself took initiative in this matter and talked to the producers. Shivaji told that he had tried to stop Nana from doing so but he did not agree. Nana kept the producers waiting for about two hours and talked about a fair fee for his friend. This incident makes it clear that Nana used to openly raise his voice for the interests of people close to him.
However, the most emotional aspect of Nana's friendship came to light when Shivaji Satam's wife was diagnosed with cancer. During that time Shivaji was shooting the film Ghulam-e-Mustafa. Due to this crisis in the family, it became difficult for him to balance between work and taking care of his wife. He had even considered leaving the film but Nana did not leave him alone. He talked to director Partho Ghosh and people associated with the film so that Shivaji could get enough time to return home after the shooting. After this, his schedule was fixed in such a way that after reaching the shooting at 12 noon, he could go home by 8 pm.
Shivaji Satam said emotionally that perhaps even his own brother would not have been able to do as much as Nana did for him. He told that Nana would call him suddenly at any time and call him to his farm and always kept the friendship casual. These memories of Shivaji reveal that for Nana Patekar, friendship was not limited to just working together but was also about fulfilling responsibilities in difficult times. This is the reason that even after his death, his loved ones and close ones are remembering him not only as a great actor but also as a sensitive and helpful person.