With Karan Johar’s web series The Fame Game, Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Kapoor reconnected after 25 years.
Prior to the web series, the two co-starred in the 1997 flop Mohabbat and the 1995 hit Raja, which is still remembered for its chart-topping songs and performances by its cast members, especially Madhuri & Paresh Rawal’s.
Nana Patekar, not Paresh Rawal, was the original choice to play Sanjay Kapoor’s older brother in the film, which was directed by Indra Kumar.
Nana had even finished filming a few scenes and a song before being asked to leave and replaced by Paresh Rawal.
Nana Patekar was removed from the set after a few days of shooting due to his meddling with other actors’ performances, particularly Madhuri Dixit’s.
Indra Kumar detailed everything that happened between him and Nana Patekar, including how he begged him to leave the film.
Indra Kumar was questioned why Nana Patekar was pulled from the film by Mukesh Khanna, who played Madhuri’s older brother in the movie.
Nana Patekar would come in and give Madhuri advice on how to do a sequence, he remembered. Similarly, he would share his thoughts with Dalip Tahil and Mukesh Khanna.
When Nana Patekar approached him during filming, the Shaktimaan actor said Dalip used to tell him that he was terrified by him.
Indra Kumar then replied, “Jab actor director ka kaam karne lag jaata hai toh director ko samajh jaana chahiye woh ultimately buri film banayega ya actors ka bura performance aayega. (When an actor tries to do a director’s job, a director should realise he is going to make a bad film or his actors will deliver poor performances).”
He added, “In all fairness, Nana chah raha tha sab achcha kaam karein. Unka intention bura nahin tha, tareeka bura tha. Aap woh Lakshman Rekha nahin cross kar sakte. (He wanted everyone to give their best. His intention wasn’t bad but his way of doing things was).”
The filmmaker continued that he didn’t say anything initially as Nana Patekar was giving good suggestions. “Aur woh khud itna achcha kaam kiya tha unhonein. He would’ve killed it. Jo Paresh Rawal ne bahut achcha kiya.”
Indra Kumar, on the other hand, realised that he couldn’t work like this. So he went to Nana Patekar’s residence and explained his perspective as a director to him: “Main unke ghar gaya, unko achche se samjhaya.” ‘Indu, yeh mera way of working hai, yeh tumhara way of working nahin hai,’ unhonein bhi samjha ki haan. So, let’s say our goodbyes.”
Nana was also lauded by Indra Kumar for returning the full amount he was paid for the part. Nana was paid a very large fee for the picture, according to him, which was even more than Anil Kapoor’s fees at the time.
“Madhuri kuch kuch jagah confusing ho rahi thi, but kyunki Madhuri mere saath do filmein kar chuki thi Dil aur Beta,” Indra Kumar observed of Madhuri Dixit’s performance when Nana Patekar was a part of the film. Woh meri aankh mein dekh ke samajh jaati thi ki mujhe kya chahiye ki mujhe kya chahiye ki mujhe kya chahiye ki mujhe kya chahiye ki mujhe (Madhuri was becoming perplexed as a result of Nana Patekar’s intervention.) However, because we’d worked with on two films prior to Raja, she knew exactly what I expected from her just by looking at me).”
Check out the full conversation below:
Prior to Raja, Nana Patekar and Madhuri Dixit collaborated in Nana Patekar’s critically praised 1991 film Prahaar: The Final Attack.
