Nana Patekar opens up about his impoverished upbringing: ‘Started working at the age of 13, would get one meal a day’

Nana Patekar recently opened up about his challenging and impoverished childhood, sharing a glimpse into the hardships he faced growing up.

By: Entertainment Desk

Mumbai | December 9, 2024 10:24 AM IST

3 min read

Nana Patekar. (Photo: Nana Patekar/ Instagram)

Veteran actor Nana Patekar has spoken candidly about his impoverished upbringing, revealing that he began working at the tender age of 13. In a poignant interview, Patekar shared that his circumstances had a profound impact on his life, forcing him to grow up much faster than his peers.

“I started working at the age of 13. So I turned 30 very early in life,” Patekar said in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, his voice laced with nostalgia. “I used to get one meal a day and earned a meager Rs 35 per month.” Despite the odds stacked against him, Patekar persevered, balancing his work and education. “I used to work in the day and then go to school as well. I was in the 9th class,” he recalled while promoting his latest release — Vanvaas — with Utkarsh Sharma and Gadar 2 director Anil Sharma.

Patekar’s experiences during this period had a profound impact on his worldview. “So I feel your haalat (circumstances) decide your age,” he said. However, he refused to let his circumstances define him. “But after a point, I didn’t let my situation decide my age. Now I decide my age – 18, 19… I am as old as I want to be,” he said with a chuckle.

For Patekar, laughter and joy have been essential coping mechanisms. “Mujhe hassi mazak ke siva aur kuch sujhta nahi (Nothing seems better to me than laughter and jest),” he said. Even in the face of mortality, Patekar remains philosophical. “I am not scared of death, jab nikalna hai nikalna hai (whenever I have to die I’ll die),” he said.

Patekar’s childhood experiences have also given him a deep appreciation for the importance of family. “Till the time you are under the caressing shelter of your parents, nothing else matters. They are such a huge support system,” he said. However, Patekar’s own parents struggled to make ends meet, and hunger was a constant companion. “When I was asked if I like the fragrance of rose or mogra (jasmine flower), I’d say I like the aroma of bhakri (roti), no other aroma is more desirable to the stomach,” he said.

Patekar’s words offer a poignant glimpse into the harsh realities of poverty. As he succinctly put it, “For us hunger was such a big issue that we never could see the flowers (happy days).”

Following #MeToo allegations by actor Tanushree Dutta, Nana Patekar has made a comeback to the silver screen after a prolonged hiatus. He was last seen in Vivek Agnihotri’s The Vaccine War. His Vanvaas will be released in cinemas soon, and he’ll next be seen in Housefull 5.

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