Actor Muzammil Ibrahim has recalled his experience of working with veteran actor Nana Patekar, saying the latter’s encouragement gave him confidence and helped him discover his potential as a performer.
Muzammil, who shared screen space with Nana Patekar in Rakesh Sarang’s 2009 comedy film Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss, spoke about the veteran actor in an exclusive conversation with IANS.
Praising Nana Patekar’s talent as well as his personality, Muzammil said, “He is an amazing artist and a better person than that. You learn a lot from him about the craft.”
He also remembered the warmth and informality Nana brought to their interactions, saying the veteran actor treated him like a child while they were working together.
“Even now, whenever I call him, he treats me the same as his son. There is no difference,” Muzammil said.
Asked whether Nana had offered him any specific acting advice, Muzammil said the veteran did not give him technical tips but instead helped boost his confidence.
“He didn’t give any tips, but when he met me, he gave me confidence,” he said.
Recalling Nana’s words to him, Muzammil said the veteran actor acknowledged the appreciation he had received for his performance in Dhoka and expressed his desire to work with him.
“Muzammil, after ‘Dhoka’, you are being praised a lot. Even though the film did not become a super hit, you are being praised. I’m looking forward to working with you,” he recalled Nana telling him.
Muzammil also described his time on the sets of Horn ‘Ok’ Pleassss as a particularly enjoyable experience. He said comedy demanded precise timing and coordination, while the presence of seasoned performers such as Satish Shah and Ali Asghar made the shoot even more entertaining.
“When we used to do scenes together, because in comedy, you have to set the scenes with your timing and all that. Because there were other amazing artists in it – Satish Shah, Ali Asghar – they were all great comedians, so it was a lot of fun working with them,” he said.
Looking back, Muzammil said the experience helped him grow across different aspects of performance and allowed him to discover a different side of himself as an artist.
“I saw a very different side of me as an artist, and I had a lot of fun at that time,” he added.