In an exclusive interview with ETimes, veteran actor Nana Patekar expressed his concerns about the challenges faced by Marathi cinemaparticularly regarding budget limitations. He strongly advocated for Hindi dubbing of Marathi films to expand their reach and tap into a larger audience.
Nana Patekar emphasized, “The problem with the Marathi industry is the budget. When South films are dubbed in Hindi, why not Marathi films? Not every South film is good, but they still get audiences because they are dubbed in Hindi.”Reflecting on the cultural richness of Marathi cinema, he cited the classic film Un Paus. “If you watch ‘Un Paus’, you’ll see South Indian cultural elements in it. We should have the confidence to say to producers, ‘Please dub this in Hindi.’ I’m sure we’ll find an audience,” he said. Nana Patekar also highlighted praise from Bollywood director Anil Sharmawho said, “Our Marathi directors are so good, and their writing is incredibly realistic. When Hindi audiences watch Marathi films, they easily connect with them.”
The ‘Natsamrat’ actor believes that Marathi filmmakers need to focus on promoting their content beyond regional boundaries. He explained, “Even with ‘Natsamrat’, we couldn’t dub it in Hindi because of the language differences. But directors should tell producers to at least dub the films instead of reshooting them. We will definitely find more viewers.”
Discussing the next generation of actors, Patekar encouraged young performers to diversify their skills. “Today’s actors in theatre should work on their physicality, dancing, and action skills. In our time, we were fit, but we missed learning these aspects,” he shared.
Nana Patekar also defended ‘Gadar 2’ actor Utkarsh Sharmawho has faced nepotism allegations due to his father, director Anil Sharma. “Don’t think Utkarsh gets roles because of his father. He worked hard and earned this role through his dedication,” Nana Patekar clarified.
The actor will be seen next in director Anil Sharma’s flick ‘Vanvaas’. The film is written and produced by Anil himself and will star Utkarsh Sharma in the lead role.
Vanvaas | Song- Geeli Maachis
