Mahesh Manjrekar reveals the clever set trick he used on Nana Patekar to direct the famous ‘to be or not to be’ monologue in Natsamrat.
Mahesh Manjrekar’s Natsamrat (2016) remains one of the most iconic films in Nana Patekar’s career, a performance that cemented his reputation as one of India’s finest actors. Who can forget the ‘To be or not to be’ scene where Nana’s character Ganpatrao Belwalkar adapts Shakespeare’s iconic Hamlet soliloquy into a deeply personal Marathi monologue! In this sequence, he compares his current existence to a discarded leaf plate and questions whether it is worth living a life completely stripped of dignity.
Following the passing of the legendary actor on October 8, filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar delivered a heartfelt tribute to his Natsamrat leading man in a chat with Filmfare. He shared a memorable behind-the-scenes anecdote about filming this iconic scene.
Mahesh shared that while shooting the crucial ‘to be or not to be’ sequence, he found himself in a tricky spot. Nana was reading his lines with unusually low energy. The sequence involved minor actors, and he was supposed to critique their enactment of Shakespeare. Mahesh wanted him to be louder, more commanding, but Nana wasn’t giving the response he expected.
Frustrated, the director decided to take a different route. Instead of yelling at Nana directly, he blew his top at the younger actors in the scene. The outburst was sharp, but it carried a hidden message. Nana understood immediately. He rose to the occasion and delivered a flawless take. That very shot later become one of the film’s highlights.
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“After the shoot, he gathered the young actors and told them that since I couldn’t yell at him, I chose to yell at them but all the shouting was directed at Nana. We all had a good laugh,” Manjrekar recalled.
Natsamrat, adapted from V.V. Shirwadkar’s celebrated play, tells the heartbreaking journey of Ganpatrao Belwalkar, a retired Shakespearean theatre legend who entrusts his lifelong savings to his children, only to be abandoned and left homeless in his final years.
Helmed by director Mahesh Manjrekar, the emotional drama features a stellar star cast led by Nana Patekar alongside Medha Manjrekar, Vikram Gokhale, Mrunmayee Deshpande, Sunil Barve, Neha Pendse, and Ajit Parab. The film went on to achieve massive critical and commercial acclaim, sweeping major accolades including the Filmfare Award Marathi for Best Actor (Nana Patekar), Best Supporting Actor (Vikram Gokhale), and Critics Best Film, as well as Zee Gaurav Puraskar awards for Best Director and Best Actor.
