Mumbai, Oct 8 (IANS) : Actor Pankaj Tripathi mourned the demise of veteran actor Nana Patekar. He remembered him as someone whose guidance extended beyond cinema and who would often help him navigate important choices in life.
In an exclusive quote shared with IANS, the ‘Mirzapur’ actor said, “Nana ji’s passing is an incredibly painful loss for our entire fraternity; it’s a deeply personal loss for me. I had the privilege of sharing screen space with him in Kaala, and that experience will always remain very special to me. He was not just a co-actor but someone who would guide me on the craft, life choices, and the smallest nuances of acting.”
“I learned a lot just by watching him and listening to him. His guidance meant a great deal to me. For me, this feels like losing a Guru. His absence will always be felt, but his lessons and his extraordinary body of work will continue to inspire me and generations of actors to come,” he added.
Pankaj went on to state, “What made Nana ji truly extraordinary was his ability to disappear into a character while still leaving an indelible mark of his own. His contribution to Indian cinema goes far beyond the films he was part of; he has influenced the way actors look at their craft.”
Calling it the end of an era, Pankaj further mentioned, “This truly feels like the end of an era. Indian cinema has lost one of its most distinctive voices and finest performers. But artists like Nana ji never really leave us. They live on through their work, through the characters they created and through the generations of actors they continue to inspire. His legacy will remain eternal.”
Pankaj Tripathi and Nana Patekar shared screen space in the 2018 Tamil action-drama “Kaala,” directed and co-written by Pa. Ranjith and produced by Dhanush. The film starred Rajinikanth in the titular role, with Nana Patekar, Huma Qureshi, Eswari Rao, Samuthirakani, and several others in key roles.
Nana Patekar breathed his last on October 8. The veteran actor was reportedly found unconscious at his Goa residence after experiencing intense chest discomfort.
