Director Anees Bazmee recently shared some insights about casting Nana Patekar for his hit film Welcome, now considered a cult favorite. While the movie was initially seen as a light-hearted comedy, it gained immense popularity over the years, especially through characters like Uday Shetty, played by Patekar, and Majnu Bhai, portrayed by Anil Kapoor. Bazmee reflected on how Welcome became iconic, with certain moments, including Majnu Bhai’s painting, now referenced even in his upcoming film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, drawing widespread attention.
Bazmee revealed in an interview with The Lallantop that interestingly, Nana Patekar was initially reluctant to even hear the script. Recalling the experience, the director mentioned that Patekar outright refused to listen to the story and told him, “You swear on your mother and tell me if I should do it.” Eventually, Patekar agreed to sit through a three-hour narration of the script, after which he was thoroughly impressed and excited about the project. Bazmee, who had long been a fan of Nana’s work, was confident that despite never having done a comedic role before, Patekar would redefine comedy for the audience. He noted that Nana approached the comedic role with the same level of seriousness as any other performance, which added to the film’s charm.
Addressing rumors that Patekar was difficult to work with, Bazmee shared that his experience was quite the opposite. He found Patekar to be an exceptional actor who was a pleasure to collaborate with.
Bazmee, currently has his next big project lined-up in the form of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, which features Madhuri Dixit Nene, Vidya Balan, Kartik Aaryan, and Triptii Dimri in lead roles.