Reflecting on the passing of the late actor Nana Patekar, filmmaker Mehul Kumar, who worked with him on three projects including Tiranga (1993), Krantiveer (1994), and Kohram (1999) says, “He always brought something of his own to the table as an actor that made his characters unforgettable. He understood acting in a way few do.” Their connection, Kumar notes, transcended professional boundaries; it was a bond rooted in family.
Their collaboration began with Tiranga, a project that paired Nana with the veteran actor Rajkumar. “People used to say that this film would never be complete,” Kumar recalls. “But it became a super hit” “ This was followed by Kohram, which featured an unusual pairing of Amitabh Bachchan and Nana, based on the subject of terrorism. However, it was Krantiveer I feel that stood as the defining project of our partnership,” he says.
Kumar adds, “Distributors initially questioned the decision to cast Nana in a solo lead, but I remained resolute. I told them, ‘I am not making a film with just any hero. This film was written for Nana. He was in my mind and character, and only he could do this.’”
Addressing their working dynamic, Kumar explains, “When I work with big artists, I tell them the whole story scene-wise, so there is no discussion on set during Tiranga he told me, ‘See Mehul, I have just one condition. I am working with Rajkumar for the first time, and I don’t want any interference in my scenes.’ That was his condition and I was like ‘arre nahin kuch nahin hoga’. He worked accordingly, and there was never a problem.”
{{/usCountry}}Addressing their working dynamic, Kumar explains, “When I work with big artists, I tell them the whole story scene-wise, so there is no discussion on set during Tiranga he told me, ‘See Mehul, I have just one condition. I am working with Rajkumar for the first time, and I don’t want any interference in my scenes.’ That was his condition and I was like ‘arre nahin kuch nahin hoga’. He worked accordingly, and there was never a problem.”
{{/usCountry}}Recalling their final meeting at a film premiere, Kumar shares, “We were sitting together and staying at the same hotel, so he asked me, ‘Mehul, come tomorrow morning. We will sit and talk.’ We spent an hour talking about Mission Tiranga, my fourth ambitious project with him.”
Kumar had even envisioned a new project with the actor. “Nana had already agreed to do it anytime, and we were set to roll it out in 2027. It wasn’t a sequel, but a story centered entirely around him. Now, my mission is incomplete without him.”
Concluding on the irreplaceable nature of the actor’s craft, Kumar says, “Nobody can fill his shoes. You cannot give his roles to anyone else. Even the title Mission Tiranga cannot be used for anyone else. Tiranga and Krantiveer can never be remade; they are legendary films.”