Nana Patekar had abiding passion for cricket and shooting
Veteran actor Nana Patekar maintained a deep passion for cricket and competitive shooting throughout his life. He was known for his focus and generosity, notably sponsoring professional equipment for Olympic shooter Anjali Bhagwat.
Why it matters
This provides a human-interest perspective on a prominent cultural figure, highlighting his personal interests and philanthropic contributions to Indian sports.
Nana Patekar may have been best known for the intensity he brought to the screen, but away from the arc lights, that same intensity found an outlet in sport. Cricket was his abiding passion; shooting, for a brief period, became something more than a pastime.
For Anjali Bhagwat, the former World No. 1 and India’s first Olympic shooting finalist in 2000, Patekar’s sporting association was particularly personal. It began with a joke at the National Games in Pune in 1995.
The shooting events were held at a range in Worli (Mumbai), where Patekar had arrived as the chief guest for the prize distribution. Bhagwat had won all the gold medals on offer. As he handed them over, Patekar quipped: “Should I send over a truck for you to take all these gold medals home?”
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in