Nana Patekar expressed his desire to work with which director?

Mumbai: Famous actor of Hindi film industry Nana Patekar is celebrating his 75th birthday today on 1 January 2026. Nana is included among those artists who have accepted acting not just as a profession but as a spiritual practice. He has received many awards in his career, but there is one honor very close to his heart, which was not received on any platform.

In Bollywood, success is often measured by trophies and applause. Nana Patekar always kept himself away from this thinking. For him, the real test of acting has been honesty and truthfulness. That is why he has said many times that he finds recognition of his work more important than awards.

Which director did Nana Patekar want to work with?

In an interview, Nana Patekar had told that his dream had always been to work with the great filmmaker Satyajit Ray. He considered him the guru of cinema. But, unfortunately, he never got the opportunity to work under his direction. This remained an unfulfilled wish for him.

Later Nana came to know that Satyajit Ray had written in his personal diary that he wanted to work with Nana Patekar. Hearing this, Nana Patekar had tears in his eyes and called it the biggest honor of his life. According to him, true appreciation of a great artist is more valuable than any award.

Why was this praise special for Nana Patekar?

Nana Patekar clarified that when he came to know about this, he realized that he had chosen the right direction with his acting. This praise was also significant because it came without any promotion or platform. There can be no greater honor than this for an artist.

Nana Patekar’s life has always been full of simplicity and discipline. He never gave priority to his work rather than chasing glamour. This thinking makes him different from other actors. He believes that the real identity of an artist is his work and not the number of awards.