Dilip Kumar watched Nana Patekar and Dimple Kapadia’s Krantiveer in theatre and said he had ‘hangover’; recalls film director

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As a lifestyle expert with a deep appreciation for Indian cinema and its rich history, I cannot help but be moved by the story of Nana Patekar‘s performance in Krantiveer and the impact it had on cinematic greats like Dilip Kumar. The raw emotion and intensity that Nana brought to his role as Pratap Narayan Tilak left a lasting impression not just on audiences, but also on the legends of the industry.

“If you aren’t unfamiliar with the scene, Nana Patekar’s powerful monologue in Krantiveer (1994) is expressed as ‘I have come to watch my own death!'”

Dilip Kumar, affectionately titled the “Tragedy King” in Indian cinema, was deeply moved by the film “Krantiveer.”

Dilip Kumar reviewed Nana Patekar’s Krantiveer, recalls Mehul Kumar

During an conversation with Bollywood Thikana, Mehul Kumar, the director of Krantiveer, shared that numerous notable figures in the film business had complimented the movie once it became a hit.

Mehul shared that during the screening of the 1994 film, Dilip Kumar requested Mehul to join him in the theater.

The filmmaker shared that the revered late actor was deeply moved by Krantiveer, expressing his feeling as, “Your film has left me with a lingering effect.” According to him, the esteemed actor drew a parallel between Krantiveer and Mother India, having watched both movies in the same cinema.

I remember hearing the Mughal-E-Azam actor tell Nargis that the title “Mother India” would forever be a part of her identity, just as Krantiveer is synonymous with Nana Patekar.

Nana Patekar wore his clothes in Krantiveer

Mehul Kumar, the director, shared that Nana Patekar didn’t have an extravagant wardrobe during the filming of Krantiveer. Instead, he wore regular clothes to make his character appear genuine. Mehul wrote the script with Patekar in mind and told him not to worry about having his costumes prepared for him.

The film’s director of “Krantiveer” mentioned that he requested Patekar to wear his worn-out clothes for filming without ironing them first. Surprisingly, Patekar consented to this arrangement, and afterwards, he was given new outfits as a present.

Mehul stressed that Patekar’s look consisted of his clothes and slippers.

When distributors refused to back Krantiveer for this reason, recalls director

During the same interview, Mehul Kumar shared that some distributors had expressed doubts about supporting Krantiveer, and a few were reluctant to invest in his movie.

I remember clearly the incident when two distributors from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh expressed their reservations about supporting “Krantiveer” before its release, as they had doubts about Patekar’s capacity to attract cinema-goers given that the film lacked any major co-stars. Their concern was understandable, as they were hesitant to invest in a production without a big name attached.

Afterward, the director successfully argued that Patekar was a perfect fit for the part. Subsequently, the distributors consented to fund the casting fee for Krantiveer, on the condition that they approved of the movie; otherwise, the filmmaker would be required to refund the investment.

In films prior to Krantiveer, Nana Patekar, as stated by Kumar, typically took on the role of an antagonist. However, in this particular movie, he was given the chance to portray the lead character or protagonist for the first time.

In the thrilling action-crime movie “Krantiveer,” Dimple Kapadia, Mamta Kulkarni, and Atul Agnihotri took on the main roles. The cast also included Paresh Rawal, Danny Denzongpa, Tinu Anand, and Farida Jalal in significant parts.

In this scenario, Patekar acted as the grandson of a freedom fighter residing in a Mumbai chawl. Dimple took on the part of a journalist reporting for the movie. Paresh got the role of the chawl proprietor, while Atul portrayed his on-screen son and Mamta became his romantic interest.

In 1994, the film was adapted and released in Telugu as “Punya Bhoomi” and in Kannada as “Parodi.”

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2024-07-23 01:37