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 Veteran
actor Nana Patekar, who won a bronze medal at the state level for gun
shooting, says he loves both films and gun shootings. "Acting,
earlier in dramas, then films, has always been a passion. And now
there's shooting of another kind. I won a bronze medal at the state
level for my gun shooting. So I enjoy both the shootings," Nana told
IANS in an interview.
"Whatever I do, I've to do with equal passion. Even if I'm hanging up curtains, I've to make sure they hang well," he added.
He divides his time between Mumbai and Pune.
"I
like to travel. I like to meet people. It helps me grow as an actor. I
feel I'm now enjoying my work much more than before. I thoroughly
enjoyed my work in 'Apaharan' and 'Taxi No. 9211'. And, of course,
'Bluffmaster' was great fun. He (Nana's character in the film) was a
weird kind of villain."
Nana is the happiest while talking about his son Malhar.
"He's
interested in cinematography, direction and writing. Since I'm doing a
film with Rohit Shetty for Ramesh Sippy, he may come there with me to
assist Rohit.
"He has already assisted Amol and Chitra Palekar
on two different projects. And Malhar is an amazing dancer. You know
what an amazing dancer I am?" says Nana at his ironical best.
"I've
left a choice of career to him. When I started, I had to think of
everything, including buying a house. Malhar can take it easy. He can
do what he wants. All I want him is to have the right values."
Nana recently featured in Goutam Ghose's "Yatra".
"After
a long time I've done a role I'm happy about with 'Yatra'. I loved
working with Ghose. I worked with Rekha and Ghose for the first time.
For many years I kept abusing and accusing Ghose of not working with me
in 'Antarjali Yatra'.
"I've been wanting to work with him for
a very long time. The minute I heard the script of 'Yatra', I told him
I wouldn't charge him a single penny. I gave him 40-50 days and didn't
charge anything."
He's unhappy with the way "Yatra" was released
without publicity. "I don't like this. I've worked so hard. In fact, we
all have. Such delicate films need to be promoted very carefully."
But he cheers up. "I've just completed a comedy 'Welcome' with Anees Bazmi."
He admits he had a bit of a run-in with Akhsay Kumar during "Welcome". "These things happen. Why play it up?
"Akshay
is a very good boy and he's working hard. If I'm angry I'll abuse in
the face, and finish with my fury. It was between two individuals.
Nowadays, even before anything happens, the media is informed."
He doesn't enjoy talking about unpleasant episodes.
"Let's
talk about more pleasant things. I've a suspense thriller with director
Sangeeth Sivan and Bobby Deol. Bobby is such a sweet guy. He has taken
after his father.
"Sangeeth was a pleasure to work with. He's
very clear about what he does. I'd love to work with him again. All in
all I'm very happy with life. God has given me a great life. Great
friends...I don't want anything else. Now let me see what I can give to
people."
Tell him all his directors like to repeat him and he
counters, "Listen, I give a hundred percent of myself to my work.
Acting isn't work for me. So naturally that passion is understood and
appreciated by filmmakers."
The actor has one policy in his career.
"Once
I've completed the dubbing and shooting of a film, I like to move on.
Whether people like it or not, is in no one's hands. I'm happy with my
life, mother, son and my wife."
Though Nana and his wife Neelkanti have been living separately, they have not divorced yet.
"My
wife and I aren't divorced. She's more a friend now than a spouse. We
meet every day. Whatever I'm today is because of her. When I wanted to
become an actor, she was working in a bank and let me do whatever I
wanted."
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service
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