When India's armed forces were fighting fierce battles in the heights of Kargil in 1999, Nana Patekar, who passed away on Thursday morning, decided to put his acting career on hold to contribute to the war effort.
The veteran artist, who was 48 then, sought permission to join the Indian Army at the war front. When he made his wish known to senior Army officials, they were frank with him and revealed that such permission could only be granted by the Defence Minister.
"I knew our Defence Minister George Fernandes ji, so I called him. Even he said it was impossible," Patekar told Amitabh Bachchan years later during an episode of "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC). It was in August 2024 that the two titans of Indian cinema came face to face on the popular television show, when Patekar was promoting his movie "Vanvaas".
"I told him, 'Commission toh six months mein hota hai, maine toh teen saal guzaare hain.' [Commissions happen within six months; I have spent three years.] He asked where, and I told him about my experience with the Maratha Light Infantry [In 1991, Patekar had trained with the armed forces for his movie Prahaar: The Final Attack, in which he essayed the role of Major VS Chavan. He trained with the Maratha Light Infantry for three years for the film, which he had also written and directed]. Then he asked, 'Kab jaana chahte ho?' [When do you want to go?] I told him, 'Today.'"
The actor eventually received permission and travelled to the Kargil conflict zone in August 1999, where he spent time with Army personnel near the Line of Control. He said he was eventually part of a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and later helped at a military hospital in Srinagar.
Patekar said he spent around 60 days with the troops during the conflict, travelling to places including Dras, Leh, Kupwara, Baramulla, and Sopore.
"I was 76 kg when I reached Srinagar. By the time I came back, I was 56 kg," news agency PTI quoted him as recalling.
"There, the bodies of martyred soldiers were brought in. It was deeply distressing, as many of the bodies were in a bad state. The mortal remains were carefully made presentable before being sent back to their hometowns. I worked there for six days.
"One day, I was roaming in the ward and one person shouted from behind, 'Hey Nana.' I knew that person, and he was draped in a long sheet. I touched him and he was burning. He told me he had a fever for the past four days. He wanted to go back to the battlefield but couldn't. He then showed that his legs were cut off," PTI further quoted him as saying.
Nana Patekar died on Thursday at the age of 76 due to cardiac arrest in Goa.
