Nana Patekar's kurta was torn by Vidhu Vinod Chopra after a fight on Parinda set; why Nana said he didn't like the filmmaker behind 3 Idiots, 12th Fail, Munna Bhai

Nana Patekar was known for his intense performances, but his temperament also became part of the stories surrounding his career. One of the most talked-about incidents happened during the making of Parinda in 1989, when he had a heated clash with filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The argument reportedly became physical, with Chopra later recalling that he tore Nana's kurta during the scuffle. Years later, Nana himself spoke about his complex equation with the filmmaker and said he did not like Chopra. The story has remained one of the more memorable anecdotes from the making of Parinda, a film that went on to become an important work in Hindi cinema.

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Why did Nana Patekar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra fight on Parinda set?

According to Chopra's account, the argument started after a long day of shooting. The filmmaker recalled that the cast and crew had been working for hours when Nana said he was too tired and wanted to leave. Chopra told him that he could go, but would have to pay the production's overhead costs. The exchange quickly became heated. Both men started abusing each other, and the argument turned into a physical scuffle. During the confrontation, Chopra tore Nana's kurta.


There was another unusual detail to the incident. Police personnel were present on the set and reportedly became concerned after seeing the director and actor fighting with each other. Chopra recalled the cops telling them, in effect, that they were there to protect the filmmaker, not watch him fight with his own actor.

The torn kurta became part of a scene in Parinda

What happened next sounds almost like something written for a film. The crew was ready to shoot, and cinematographer Binod Pradhan reportedly called for the shot while the argument was still fresh. Nana went back to his position. His kurta had already been torn during the fight, so he appeared in a vest for the scene.

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Chopra later said that the tears visible in Nana's eyes during that sequence were real because the two had just fought. He recalled that the two eventually hugged and Nana told him he had been nervous about the scene. It was an unusual combination of real anger and a film performance. The incident became part of the many stories surrounding the making of Parinda.

Nana Patekar later said he did not like Vidhu Vinod Chopra

The old clash did not completely disappear from Nana's memory. In a 2024 interview with The Lallantop, Nana was asked about working with Chopra. His response was unusually direct. Nana said he did not like the filmmaker and recalled having “very bad memories” of working with him. He also complained about Chopra's habit of shouting “action” aggressively on set.

For Nana, the problem was not simply the volume. He felt that shouting the command could disturb an actor's concentration just before a scene. He explained that an actor needs to remain within the character's emotional rhythm. A loud command, according to Nana, could interfere with that process. He then looked directly at the camera during the interview and addressed Chopra, making it clear that he wanted to say what he felt openly rather than behind the filmmaker's back.

Nana said every meeting with Chopra could be his last

The actor was asked about his most recent meeting with Chopra. Nana's answer was blunt. He said that every time he met Chopra, he wished it would be their last meeting. The remark drew laughter during the interview, but Nana immediately clarified that he was serious. His comments brought the decades-old Parinda story back into the spotlight and offered a glimpse into how strongly the experience had stayed with him.

Parinda was made on a shoestring budget

The clash also needs to be seen in the context of how Parinda was made. Chopra has recalled that the film was produced on a very tight budget. He said the production did not have enough money for catering, so people working on the film brought their own food from home.

According to Chopra, the disagreement over food was another source of tension between him and Nana during the shoot. Despite the difficult atmosphere, Parinda went on to become one of the most acclaimed films of its era. The film starred Nana Patekar alongside Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. Nana played Anna, a character that became one of the defining performances of his career.

Nana's Parinda climax was also dangerous

The fight with Chopra was not the only dramatic incident involving Nana during the film. The actor later revealed that he was actually injured while filming Parinda's famous climax. His character is shown being caught in flames, and the sequence involved real fire.

Nana said he was seriously burnt during the shoot. He recalled suffering burns across his skin, beard, moustache, eyebrows and eyelids, and said he spent about 60 days in hospital before undergoing a long recovery. He stressed that the injury was an accident rather than something Chopra deliberately wanted to happen. The incident nevertheless showed how far Nana was willing to go for a performance during the early phase of his career.

A difficult relationship that produced a landmark film

The relationship between Nana Patekar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra was clearly complicated. They argued. They abused each other. At one point, their confrontation became physical. Yet they also managed to finish a film that became a major milestone for both of them. Chopra's account suggests that the two eventually made peace after the particular fight. Nana's later comments, however, show that he continued to remember the experience differently. That contradiction is perhaps what makes the story so interesting.