Through 26/11, we have tried to express the kind of respect we have for our police force: Nana Patekar

The friendship of Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) and Nana Patekar, that started with Ab Tak Chappan in 2004, has intensified through the years so much so that only last year Varma approached Nana to direct the sequel of the film in which Nana Patekar played inspector Sadhu Agashe. Now, in the about-to-be released RGV film The Attacks of 26/11, gives a blow-by-blow account of what happened on the night of 26/11 when terrorists attacked Mumbai, Nana has essayed the role of a Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police based on Mumbai super cop Rakesh Maria.
Nana Patekar

The friendship of Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) and Nana Patekar, that started with Ab Tak Chappan in 2004, has intensified through the years so much so that only last year Varma approached Nana to direct the sequel of the film in which Nana Patekar played inspector Sadhu Agashe.

Now, in the about-to-be released RGV film The Attacks of 26/11, gives a blow-by-blow account of what happened on the night of 26/11 when terrorists attacked Mumbai, Nana has essayed the role of a Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police based on Mumbai super cop Rakesh Maria.

Tellychakkar.com meets the reputed actor in person and corners him for a detailed interview. A lowdown:

In The Attacks of 26/11, you play the role of a super cop based on well known police officer Rakesh Maria. Moreover, you happen to know him well. So, tell us about the kind of preparations that went into playing the Mumbai super cop?

(smiles) Rakesh Maria is a very good friend of mine and so are most of the cops. I always maintain a very good relationship with men in the uniform because it is good for us to do so (winks). But then if you ask me whether I am trying to talk like him, walk like him, well that is not how I did it. I merely adopted the attitude that he has and that was enough for me to play the role.

Tell us more about the character you play in the film?

If you may remember, Rakesh Maria was accused of not being able to handle the situation. And the pattern of the screenplay of the film is thus that it follows his answers that were put before the Pradhan Committee. Ramu has presented the film in a very different manner.

The Attacks of 26/11 is based on a tragic occurrence. Comment?

True, this is not an incident that we can remember and feel happy about it. This was such a horrific incident which we would ideally prefer to forget; and would not like to watch it again in the form of documentation. Hence, Ramu has tried to do something different which I would not like to call documentation.

The film unfolds through a certain character played by me and that is perhaps what I would have said personally as well. Once you see the film you will agree with what is being said. There is nothing that you like and be happy about after seeing the film. The film is not an entertainer; there are no songs and no dances to entertain you. And that is one reason why I am a part of this project.

How is this film different from every other film you have earlier worked in?

(pauses) Coming back to the point, this is not a movie. If you think that this comes across as a film then we have not been successful in our endeavour to depict it well. But then, I am confident that The Attacks of 26/11 will not seem like a movie to you. I am dead sure that people will not clap after seeing the film and every one will come out of the movie hall with their lips sealed. Ramu wanted to present the film like this and the success of the film will lie there.

Being a Mumbaikar and witnessing the attacks on TV, was it difficult to work in The Attacks of 26/11?

(thinks) Normally when one plays any other role, he comes, enacts and goes away. But that was not the case with me while doing this film. This was not just a movie for me; it was a huge responsibility playing the character because it carried a lot of weight and responsibility to enact the role of a man who tried his best to save Mumbai.

See, 26/11 was an incident. I just cannot say how the director thinks of the entire incident and how he perceived it. To me, the film is not merely about the recreation of the horrific scenes but what is important is the kind of remark it makes. So, we cannot promote The Attacks of 26/11 as a movie nor can you cannot dismiss this project as a film.

And now if you ask me how easy or tough was it to play the role, well after spending 40 years in this business of acting, I was certainly able to do some kind of a justice to the kind of role I play. As for me, the more tough the role, it’s more challenging to essay it. I agree that working in a film like Welcome was not as tough as working in a film like this. While playing that role in Welcome, I had absolutely no responsibility, but in this I did have one.

What do you think of the film?

(smiles) I have still not been shown the complete film, but then whatever I have seen, I believe that Ramu has made a very good film after a long time and am very happy to be a part of it having a very important part to play as well.

Now, coming to the actual, do you think that the 26/11 attacks was a result of the failure of our security system?

If we are sitting here and then there is an attack somewhere, how do you think that it can be handled? Look at the number of policemen we have as compared to the kind of population that lives here, the ratio of the cops to the people in the city is indeed less. I feel that till the time we love each other and believe and trust each other, such incidents will keep on happening. Be it people from any religion, unless and until they have a bonding, we will not be able to fight terrorism.

You have played a policeman in umpteen films and tried to uphold the dignity of the police every time you wore the uniform. Comment.

Out of 100 policemen, one of them is corrupt; the others are actually trying to protect us using a mere lathi (stick). After our parents, it is the cops who are protecting us. I have always tried to portray the good cop in my career. I have fought with a lot of people from the film industry, but fortunately I have no enemies. Through this film, we have tried to express the kind of respect we have for our police force.

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Submitted by TellychakkarTeam on Wed, 02/27/2013 - 16:07

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