Nana Patekar's Tantrums: Screenwriter Sai Paranjpye Recounts Director's Sworn Experience

In the 1990 film Disha, screenwriter and director Sai Paranjpye encountered a challenging experience with actor Nana Patekar, who repeatedly threw tantrums on set, forcing her to ask him to leave the production. Despite being warned about Nana's temperament beforehand, Sai chose to cast him alongside Om Puri and Shabana Azmi. The situation escalated as Nana insisted on being the center of attention, even when there was no work for him, leading to a series of dramatic outbursts. Sai's patience was eventually worn thin, and she asked Nana to leave, but he eventually calmed down and apologized, demonstrating an intricate and complex dynamic between the two.

Key Takeaways:

• Nana Patekar threw three tantrums on the set of the 1990 film Disha, with the first being over a minor issue about his chappals, a second over feeling neglected, and a third during a dubbing session.
• Sai Paranjpye, the screenwriter and director of Disha, had been warned about Nana's temperament before casting him, but chose to work with him nonetheless.
• Sai's daughter helped calm Nana down during one of his tantrums, but it did not prevent him from throwing another fit.
• Sai eventually lost her temper with Nana and asked him to leave, but he returned after half an hour and warned her that she was safe because she was a woman.
• Nana calmed down by the next morning and called Sai to ask for the shift timing to complete his dubbing, showing a shift in his behavior.

Statistics:

• 3: The number of tantrums thrown by Nana Patekar on the set of Disha.
• 1990: The year Nana Patekar appeared in the film Disha.
• 70s: The decade when Nana Patekar first started acting.
• 3 days: The time Sai Paranjpye spent filming Shabana and Om Puri's scenes before moving to Nana's part, which led to Nana feeling neglected.

Sources:

• Filmfare