Sanjay Leela Bhansali expected a deaf man to know what was happening behind his back: Nana Patekar reveals why director never worked with him again

Nana Patekar looked back on a an altercation that he had with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the set of Khamoshi: The Musical.

By: Entertainment Desk
New Delhi | June 25, 2024 11:54 IST

Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Nana Patekar haven't worked together after Khamoshi: The Musical.

Actor Nana Patekar recalled his experience working with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the film Khamoshi: The Musical, and speculated about why they’ve never worked again. He said that they had an altercation over a scene, which caused friction on set. Nana Patekar said that he hasn’t resolved his anger issues even today; meanwhile, reports of Bhansali’s own short temper have frequently done the rounds.

In an interview with The Lallantop, the actor was asked about his famous anger. Citing the Khamoshi incident as an example, he said, “It wasn’t just one argument, there were many. But Sanjay is a good director.” Prodded to reveal details about their altercation, he said reluctantly, “In the scene, my wife has a heart attack. I’m playing cards with my back to her. She’s behind me. We are both deaf, of course.”

Also read – Nana Patekar says he doesn’t like Vidhu Vinod Chopra: ‘Every time I meet him, I wish it to be the last’

He said that Bhansali wanted him to turn around off his own accord, while Nana demanded a logical reason for him to do so. “How would I know what’s happening behind my back? Sanjay wanted me to turn. He said that there is an unspoken bond that a couple shares, but this wasn’t a strong enough reason for me to understand the scene. I said I needed a concrete reason. And then…”

Nana didn’t share more about the altercation, but laughed, “He hasn’t worked with me again.” He continued, “Perhaps I stepped out of line. But I feel relationships shouldn’t be limited to work. We should remain friends even after our work together is over. That’s how I would prefer it to be. Films come and go, but our memories stay with us forever.”

Bhansali recently made his streaming debut with the big-budget Netflix series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Much was said about his famous temper around the show’s release, with several of his cast members defending him for lashing out at crew members, citing his perfectionism as just cause. Bhansali himself addressed these criticisms, and told India Today, “If I’m not getting what I want, even if I lose my temper, what is wrong in it? If you’re not getting a shot, and if someone is spoiling it, what will you do? People have made stories that I’m angry, that I’m badly behaved…”