Anand Mahindra compares Nana Patekar to Brando in heartfelt tribute: ‘He became a character larger than any he played’

Industrialist Anand Mahindra paid tribute to actor Nana Patekar after his death on Thursday, saying the veteran had gone beyond his craft to become a personality and cultural reference in his own right.

Mahindra, who said he had met Patekar only a few times and only at large events, wrote on X that knowing the actor personally was not necessary to feel familiar with him. According to Mahindra, the name “Nana Patekar” itself had come to represent individuality, authenticity and a refusal to conform.

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Patekar, 76, was one of Hindi and Marathi cinema's most respected actors, known for performances that often carried an intensity and rawness distinct from conventional Bollywood roles. Over a career spanning decades, he appeared in films including Parinda, Krantiveer, Apaharan and Natsamrat, earning both popular recognition and critical acclaim.

He was also a writer, filmmaker and philanthropist. His performances brought him several major honours, including the National Film Award and Filmfare awards, while he was conferred the Padma Shri for his contribution to cinema.

“There are very few actors who go beyond their craft & become a sensibility unto themselves,” Mahindra wrote.

Drawing a comparison with Hollywood actor Marlon Brando, Mahindra said some actors evoke much more than their performances when their names are mentioned.

“For example, say ‘Brando’ & you evoke not just an actor, but a whole attitude, a swagger, a way of looking at the world,” he wrote.

Also Read: Nana Patekar's passing leaves a deep void: PM Modi

Mahindra said Patekar belonged to the same rare group. “Nana Patekar belonged to that rare tribe,” he wrote.

‘You didn’t need to meet Nana Patekar to feel you KNEW him’

Mahindra acknowledged that he had not known Nana Patekar personally. “I met him only a couple of times & only at large events, so I cannot claim to have known him personally,” he wrote.

But he said Patekar had a presence that went beyond personal acquaintance. “But then, you didn’t need to meet Nana to feel you KNEW him.”

Mahindra said the actor's public persona had come to stand for qualities that made him distinct from the crowd.

“Because ‘Nana Patekar’ had come to mean something. Individuality. Authenticity. A refusal to conform. And a wicked sense of humour,” he said. “He became a character larger than any he played.”

‘Indian folklore has lost something even rarer’

Mahindra said Indian cinema had lost a remarkable performer, but argued that Patekar's death represented a wider cultural loss.

“Indian cinema has lost a remarkable actor. But Indian folklore has lost something even rarer.”

He described Patekar as “An original” and ended his tribute with a phrase that captured what he believed made the actor so distinctive. “A man who became his own adjective.”

Patekar’s last rites were scheduled to be performed at his farmhouse in Donje, near Pune, with full state honours.

His mortal remains were to be brought from Goa to Pune for the final rites. As news of his death spread, tributes poured in from across the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Maharashtra leaders and members of the film fraternity remembering the veteran actor. Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Manoj Bajpayee, Urmila Matondkar, Riteish Deshmukh, Jr NTR and Prakash Raj were among those who mourned his death, while tributes also came from sporting and public figures.