Reacting to stories of temper tantrums, Nana says he is irked when faced with colleagues with poor work ethics
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 9, 2018)

Much like the intense cop he plays in the thriller, Aapla Manus, Nana Patekar is known to be quite explosive offscreen too. There have been instances of the veteran actor walking out of the sets in fury — be it while working on Raajneeti (2010) or during the shoot of the upcoming film, Tadkaa. Justifying his stand, Patekar tells mid-day, “I may sound arrogant, but it’s true that I interfere a lot on the sets. There have been times when I have even walked out. But these things happen when the scriptwriter has not written the script, and then he makes it up at the last minute. I am not a machine. I can’t learn the lines in half-an-hour.”

Admitting to being passionate as an artiste, Patekar clarifies that what might be termed a ‘temper tantrum’ is, in reality, him voicing his protest against a scene that he is not convinced about. “I need the script and my dialogues prior the shot. That way, I can have a constructive argument if need be,” he reasons.

In an industry driven by the star system, Patekar carved a niche for himself with his acting prowess and his bold choice of subjects. “I want to be remembered for my work and not by these temporary tags like ‘star’ and ‘superstar’. I don’t believe in them. They don’t hold any value. One day, the audience will like you; the next day, you won’t exist [for them]. I have refrained from all these things as my needs have always been limited. I still stay in the same house that my family bought many years back.”

Patekar will next be seen playing an antagonist in Rajinikanth’s Kaala. Talking about collaborating with his longtime friend, he says, “When Rajini narrated the role to me, I told him I don’t want to do it. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to play an antagonist. I finally did the film only for him.”