‘Renowned shot’: How Nana Patekar became a national-level shooter, won medals in his 50s
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
When you mention shooting with reference to an star, chances are you mean the kind with a camera. But for Nana Patekar , the word was relevant in its other meaning too. A National Award-winning star, Nana was also a professional shooter, competing in the rifle shooting competition at state and national levels for decades. His prowess in shooting even collected him the title of a ‘renowned shot’.
Adding to this, Nana Patekar competed and won medals in rifle shooting competitions nationally. Nana Patekar’s tryst with shooting Nana’s move to shooting was late in his life. He began to practise with a rifle only in his 40s. Recalling how he began his shooting journey, he told Times of India in 2011, “I used to be the chief guest in all the prize distribution ceremonies of shooting competitions. I tried my hand at a lot of guns, and my aim improved. I started hitting tiny targets like a mineral bottle caps.”
Meanwhile, Around 2001, when he was 49, he turned to competitions. Nana competed in the 50m rifle prone and 300m big-bore events, training extensively at ranges such as Balewadi in Pune and Mhow. His experience training with the Indian Army for his 1991 movie Prahaar made him a natural at this.
Notably, In 2004, Nana won a silver medal in the 300m big-bore event at the 48th National Shooting Championships held at the BSF's Reoti Range in Indore. Three years later, he won the team bronze with Maharashtra, scoring 549/600 and finishing 13th out of 49 participants in the same competition. His performance in 2007 collected him the title of ‘renowned shot’. The tag meant that the star could import a rifle duty-free. "Let me get this new rifle, I can assure you I will shoot 590 points out of 600," Nana had shared back then, with unabashed cockiness.
As per the latest buzz, Nana continued to participate in National and State-level shooting events till into his 60s. Even after that, he would shoot recreationally, practising at various ranges around the country. The star was known to carry his equipment to outdoor shoots whenever he found a range nearby.
In further updates, View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hindustan Times (@hindustantimes)
On top of that, Nana Patekar’s son, Malhar Patekar, verified to local media that the star died on the morning of October 8. Nana was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, and was rushed to Manipal Hospital. Doctors attempted to revive the star for around 45 minutes but were unsuccessful. The star was declared dead at around 5:20 am, with doctors citing a heart attack as the cause of death.
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Movie Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times