When the country is saluting its brave soldiers on Kargil Victory Day, then a name came out who got out of the reel and served the country in real life, the name of that special person is Nana Patekar. The actor, known for his strong acting and patriotic image, took a front with the army by wearing uniforms during the ongoing Kargil war in 1999.
Nana Patekar J is a well-known actor of Hindi and Marathi films. After starting with ‘Gaman’ in 1978, he has won the hearts of the audience with films like ‘Parinda’, ‘Prahar’, ‘Angar’, ‘Salam Bombay’ and ‘Tiranga’. He was not like a traditional hero in appearance, but the depth and effect in his acting made him special.
He did true military training with Maratha Light Infantry for three years for the shooting of the film ‘Prahar’. His experience was so effective that when the Kargil war started, Nana did not sit silent. He expressed his desire to join the army. Initially, the senior army officers rejected his request but the actor did not give up the attempt.
Eventually, he directly approached the then Defense Minister George Fernandes. Then he got this golden opportunity. In August 1999, Nana joined as captain in the Indian Army. He not only patrolled the border, but also served the injured soldiers in hospitals.
During this time his weight decreased from 76 kg to 56 kg. Still he never complained, but was proud that he got a chance to do something for the country. The actor has made his iron in Bollywood with his acting.