Veteran actor Nana Patekar’s death has brought renewed attention to several of his past interviews, including a candid remark about why he chose to play the iconic character of Ganpatrao Belwalkar in the 2016 film Natsamrat rather than take on the role in its original stage production.

Nana Patekar on avoiding Natsamrat on stage

Speaking at the Jal Kranti Parishad in Nagpur, Nana explained that performing the role on stage demanded an extraordinary emotional investment. He recalled the fate of several acclaimed actors who had played the lead in the Marathi stage version and admitted that he feared the intensity of the role could have affected his health.