When Nana Patekar's acting in 'Krantiveer' gave Dilip Kumar 'hangover'
In a recent interview with Bollywood Thikana, director Mehul Kumar revealed that Indian cinema's "tragedy king," Dilip Kumar, was highly impressed with his 1994 film Krantiveer. According to Kumar, Dilip had watched the film in a theater and expressed his admiration saying, "You have made such a film that I still have a hangover." The director also shared that Kumar compared Krantiveer to the iconic 1957 film Mother India.
Kumar's predictions for Nana Patekar and 'Krantiveer'
During the interview, Kumar also recalled that Dilip had watched Mother India in the same theater and told lead actor Nargis that she would forever be associated with the label of Mother India. In a similar vein, he suggested that actor Nana Patekar would always be remembered for his role in Krantiveer. This prediction proved accurate, as Patekar's portrayal of Pratap Narayan Tilak in Krativeer remains one of his most acclaimed roles.
Behind-the-scenes details of 'Krantiveer' revealed
Further, Kumar shared some behind-the-scenes details about the making of Krantiveer. He revealed that Patekar didn't have any "fancy wardrobe," and instead, wore his own clothes in the film to make his character look authentic. The actor was informed beforehand that he wouldn't have outfits styled for him and agreed to wear his old garments, which were kept unironed for his scenes.
Initial challenges in securing backing for 'Krantiveer'
Kumar spoke about the initial challenges he faced while securing backing for Krantiveer. He recalled how two distributors from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were hesitant to invest in the film due to doubts about Patekar's ability to draw audiences. However, after convincing them of Patekar's suitability for the role, they agreed to invest provided they liked the film. Krantiveer also featured Dimple Kapadia, Mamta Kulkarni, and Atul Agnihotri in the lead roles.
Revisit the plot of Krantiveer'
In the 1994 film, Patekar portrayed the grandson of a freedom fighter living in a Mumbai chawl, marking his first major role as a protagonist. Kapadia played a press reporter, while Paresh Rawal was cast as the chawl's owner. This film, which was a departure from Patekar's usual antagonist roles, was later remade in Telugu as Punya Bhoomi Naa Desam and in Kannada as Parodi.
