Veteran actor Nana Patekar is once again being discussed for his work supporting distressed farming families after screenwriter Ranbir Pushp recalled an incident in which the actor reportedly chose to give away money earmarked for a luxury car instead of making the purchase.
According to Pushp, Patekar had planned to buy a car worth around ₹1.5 crore when he came across reports about families struggling after farmer suicides. Moved by their circumstances, he decided against purchasing the vehicle and asked a friend to distribute the money among affected families.
Nana Patekar Chose Farmers Over a Luxury Car
Speaking about Patekar in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Pushp said the actor’s public image often does not reflect another side of his personality.
Pushp recalled that after seeing the plight of families who had lost family members to farmer suicides, Patekar decided to redirect the money he had set aside for the car. According to the writer, the amount was intended to be distributed among several families, with ₹15 lakh reportedly given to each family.
The account has renewed attention on Patekar’s long-standing association with initiatives supporting farmers and rural communities.
Nana Patekar’s Earlier Account
The story is also consistent with an account Patekar himself gave in earlier interviews. In a conversation with Reader’s Digest, the actor recalled setting aside money for a new car before seeing repeated reports about farmers taking their own lives over financial distress.
Patekar said he contacted his friend and actor Makarand Anaspure, who encouraged him to visit affected areas in Maharashtra. He eventually travelled to Beed and met families of farmers who had died by suicide. The experience, he said, convinced him that he needed to continue helping beyond the initial donation.
In another interview, Patekar said he had around ₹1 crore to ₹1.5 crore and asked Anaspure to distribute the money among families who had lost their primary earners.
How NAAM Foundation Emerged
The initial effort eventually developed into a larger initiative. Patekar and Makarand Anaspure established NAAM Foundation in 2015 to support farmers and families affected by drought and agricultural distress in Maharashtra.
Patekar has previously described the initiative as an effort to provide practical support to rural families rather than limiting assistance to one-time financial donations. The organisation has worked on areas including livelihood support and assistance for families facing difficult circumstances.
Ranbir Pushp on Patekar’s Personality
Pushp, who worked with Patekar on the 1996 film Agni Sakshi, also spoke about the actor’s reputation for having a short temper. He argued that some incidents are interpreted without understanding the circumstances behind them.
His recollection of the ₹1.5 crore car incident was offered as an example of Patekar’s concern for people facing hardship. The account has brought renewed attention to the actor’s involvement in farmer welfare and the origins of his philanthropic work.
While the recent comments come from Pushp, Patekar’s own earlier interviews independently document his decision to redirect money intended for a car toward families affected by farmer suicides