Nana Patekar death: Raj Thackeray says actor gave voice to common man’s anger, despair and turmoil

Nana Patekar. Pic/PTI

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has paid tribute to veteran actor Nana Patekar following his death, describing him as an artist who captured the anger, despair, frustration and helplessness experienced by the common man.

In a post on X, Thackeray reflected on Patekar's long association with Mumbai and Hindi cinema, saying the actor's work remained closely connected to the social and economic realities of the city.

Patekar's work reflected Mumbai's changing social landscape

Thackeray said Mumbai's identity is closely linked to its theatre and film industries as well as the lives of the middle and lower-middle classes, including people living in slums and chawls and struggling to establish themselves.

He said Patekar remained a presence through several periods of social and political change, including the decline of the working class, the rise of the underworld, growing communal tensions and the expansion of middle-class aspirations after economic liberalisation.

"Through every such era, Nana Patekar made his presence felt, sometimes on stage, sometimes on screen," Thackeray said.

He recalled Patekar's performances in films and theatre productions including ‘Hamidabai Chi Kothi', ‘Parinda', ‘Krantiveer', ‘Ab Tak Chhappan' and ‘Natasamrat'.

‘He brought the common man's turmoil to life'

According to Thackeray, Patekar's greatest strength was his ability to portray the emotional struggles of ordinary people. He said emotions such as anger, humiliation, helplessness, despair, disillusionment with the system and class conflict often remain suppressed in everyday life.

"Watching Nana perform felt like looking into this emotional pressure cooker of ordinary lives," Thackeray said.

He compared Patekar's impact on audiences with that of Amitabh Bachchan, saying both actors were able to express emotions and frustrations that remained largely unspoken.

Thackeray also drew a comparison between Patekar and American actor Morgan Freeman, saying the two represented contrasting forms of human experience.

"Freeman represents a man who seems to have seen it all; Nana represents a man who has endured too much and can take no more," he said.

Thackeray credits Patekar with paving the way for character actors

Thackeray also highlighted Patekar's influence on Hindi cinema, particularly the growing prominence of character-driven performances.

He said the 2000s saw a shift away from conventional leading men towards story-driven films in which actors could carry a narrative on the strength of their performances.

"Nana was undoubtedly the pioneer of this era. The prominence that character actors enjoy today was paved by Nana," Thackeray said.

He also noted that Patekar's outspoken and fiercely individualistic personality may have affected the number of opportunities he received from filmmakers and producers.

Thackeray said Patekar's refusal to compromise his individuality may have deprived Hindi cinema of more of his performances, while also wondering whether actors such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui and the late Irrfan Khan would have received similar opportunities had Patekar taken a different approach to his career.

Patekar also proved his versatility in comedy

While Patekar became widely associated with intense and aggressive roles, Thackeray stressed that the actor was not limited to such performances.

He pointed to films such as ‘Welcome' as evidence of Patekar's versatility, saying the actor demonstrated that he could deliver comedy with the same effectiveness and conviction as dramatic roles.