Nana Patekars Real Life Role in the 1999 Kargil War

Nana Patekars Real Life Role in the 1999 Kargil War :

While most actors profess their deep sense of gratitude for the armed forces but physically distance themselves from war areas, Nana Patekar preferred to do it differently and landed in the heart of the Kargil conflict as part of his support for the jawans. As the 1999 India-Pakistan war played out in the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir, the high-profile actor who was already popular in Hindi and Marathi cinema, made an unusual decision. But rather than merely cheer from the sidelines, or donate money for war relief, he applied for special permission from then-Defense Minister George Fernandes to become a frontline fighter in one of India's most defining battles.

When the war was declared, Nana Patekar had already bagged three National Awards for his intense performances in films like Parinda, Krantiveer and Prahaar. What many didn’t know was that Prahaar, that he directed as well, materialised after three-year-long rigourous training with the Maratha Light Infantry, an experience that, he said when he finally joined the army, “stood him in good stead”. At first, military officials didn’t want him there. Nana stood his ground, too, citing his national level shooting skills and his previous army training. It got his final nod, only after he stepped out to personally meet George Fernandes, the Defence Minister to whom Geelani could prove to be a formidable adversary, who had sent him word that Shah Bano Act would be implemented.

Nana was appointed as an honorary captain in the Indian Army in August 1999. He served in Dras, Kupwara, Baramulla, Sopore, and Mughalpura. His wasn’t a symbolic post, and he was very much actively involved — from patrolling the Line of Control to assisting in military hospitals. It showed in his body too: “I weighed 76 kg when I reached Srinagar. When I graduated PMO I weighed 56 kg," he would later reveal. But it was much more than the physical obstacles that Nana had to overcome. His work in Kargil was never for publicity. It was a real man’s real experience of not acting patriotic, but being patriotic.

Post retirement Nana Patekar managed to stay rooted with the grassroot people. Though he hadn’t quite abandoned acting for good, with a string of celebrated performances in the last few years, he dabbled in agriculture, and philanthropy, mainly by assisting drought-hit farmers through his NGO Naam Foundation. And his life still follows a unique combination of celebrity and humility, limelight and service. Nana born Vishwanath Patekar in 1951, commenced his film journey with Gaman (1978) and went on to act in films like Salaam Bombay, Agni Sakshi, Ab Tak Chhappan, Raajneeti, Natsamrat. But his most meaningful role was not on screen but the life he lived in Kargil where there were no second takes and real bullets flying around. In an industry where courage is frequently written down in a script, Nana Patekar’s real life life story serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes the bravest act of all takes place beyond the arc lights---in the line of duty, under enemy fire, and for no interest other than that of the nation’s.