When Nana Patekar quit films at peak of his career to fight in Kargil War, lost 20 kg at the front serving Indian Army
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
The death of star Nana Patekar sent shockwaves across the industry and the nation on Thursday morning. The 75-year-old passed away after a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa, his son Malhar verified to local media. A three-time National Award winner, Nana was known as much for his powerhouse performances as he was for his philanthropy and his association with the Indian Army. The star was part of the Territorial Army and often raised funds for veterans and their families.
Adding to this, But unlike most actors, Nana's love for the Army sent him to the frontlines during war, in what is one of the most extraordinary stories from the Kargil War .
Meanwhile, In 1999, as the Kargil War raged on, the Indian armed forces battled in the harsh terrain of Kargil against the Pakistani forces. At this juncture, Nana Patekar, already a two-time National Award winner by this point, paused his career and sought special permission from the Defence Minister to go to the frontlines.
Notably, Earlier this year, the star appeared on Kaun Banega Crorepati, where he told Amitabh Bachchan how he came to serve at the front during the Kargil War. Nana had lived and trained with the Maratha Light Infantry of the Army for three years in the early 90s while writing his movie Prahaar. When the Kargil War broke out, he reached out to the senior officers from the division, requesting to join the men on the front, but he was denied. He was told that only the defence minister could approve it.
As per the latest buzz, "I knew our Defence Minister George Fernandes ji, so I called him," Nana recalled on KBC, "Even he shared it is impossible. I told him that even though the training for commission is six months, I trained for three years. He was surprised and asked me about it. After learning of my experience with the Maratha Light Infantry, he asked me, ‘When do you want to go?’
In further updates, Nana spent over a fortnight at the front close to the LoC in August 1999, helping the soldiers and even working in the hospital at the base for a few days. The star recalled being part of the Quick Response Team (QRT) during his time in Kargil. "I was 76 kg when I reached Srinagar. By the time I came back, I was 56 kg," he recalled when talking about the gruelling circumstances there.
On top of that, Nana Patekar’s son, Malhar Patekar, verified to local media that the star died on October 8 morning. 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