Legendary Actor Says No to SSMB29? 20 Cr Rejected?

Legendary actor Nana Patekar has proved that creative satisfaction matters more to him than money.

In a shocking news from the sets of SSMB29, one of the biggest pan-India films starring Mahesh Babu and directed by SS Rajamouli, Nana has turned down a major role reportedly worth Rs.20 crore for just 15 days of work.

That’s Rs.1.3 crore per day, a huge offer by any standards. SS Rajamouli himself had to travel all the way from Hyderabad to Nana Patekar’s farmhouse in Pune to narrate the script and personally convince him to play Mahesh Babu’s father.

Despite the director’s efforts and a long discussion between the two, Nana felt the role was not strong or interesting enough to accept, even for 15 days of work. This is big because it would have been Nana’s first major pan-India and South Indian big budget film in years.

The combination of Nana Patekar with Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu was highly anticipated by fans and industry folks.

But Nana’s decision shows his commitment to art and his unwillingness to do roles that don’t satisfy his creative instincts. Though he has turned down this role, Nana has left the door open for future collaborations if a better role comes along.

So the casting process for SSMB29 has become even more interesting as the filmmakers are now looking for the perfect actor to fill this role.