When Nana Patekar made a producer-guest wash plates after mutton dinner

Paresh Rawal and Nana Patekar stand out as two of the most accomplished and impactful performers in the Hindi cinema world. Over the decades, they’ve collaborated on multiple projects, developing a strong rapport and mutual admiration. In a recent interaction, Paresh Rawal spoke highly of Nana’s bold, uncompromising nature and shared a light-hearted story that exemplifies his quirky yet fearless personality.

During a conversation with The Lallantop, Rawal recounted a particularly amusing episode involving a film producer visiting Nana Patekar's residence. “There was a producer — I’ll keep his name confidential — who was invited to Nana’s home,” Rawal said. “Nana asked him if he enjoyed eating mutton, to which the producer agreed. After they finished eating, Nana casually said, ‘You’ve eaten, right? Now it’s your turn to clean the dishes.’ That is Nana Patekar- baap hai. Wo alag hi hai. Wo mitti alag hai yaar. (He’s a legend. He’s built different, made from a different mold)," Rawal added, clearly amused and impressed by his friend’s audacity.

He continued by revealing that Nana Patekar made headlines in the industry when he demanded a fee of ₹1 crore for a supporting role — an amount that even leading stars hesitated to ask for at the time. "Nana Patekar is like that! He was the first character actor to demand one crore for a role. Even lead actors didn’t ask for that much back then. But Nana Patekar did- and he got it." Rawal said, applauding Nana’s forthright approach.

Rawal elaborated further on the mindset of artists like Nana, saying that true performers are driven more by passion than by monetary gain. “When an actor feels deeply connected to a role or a story, they might agree to do it for next to nothing — even a rupee. But if they don’t feel that spark, even a mountain of money won’t convince them,” he explained. Citing Nana once again, Rawal emphasized, “That’s exactly how Nana is. He was the first in his category to ask for such a sum — and he received it.”

The veteran actor also praised Nana’s sincerity, emphasizing his refreshingly blunt nature. “There’s no pretense with Nana. What you see is what you get. He’s genuine, raw, and unapologetically honest,” he said.

Their on-screen chemistry has been evident in several memorable films like Krantiveer (1994), Ghulam-E-Mustafa (1997), Aanch (2003), Welcome (2007), and its sequel Welcome Back (2015), all of which showcased their dynamic performances and strong screen presence. Their bond, both on and off the screen, continues to be cherished by fans and the industry alike.