Nana Patekar in the viral video. (Courtesy: X)
Nana Patekar did not actually slap a fan asking for a selfie, it was a scene from his new film, revealed director Anil Sharma after a video went viral. Footage shows the actor smacking the presumed fan who attempts to take a selfie without permission. Nana Patekar has been shredded by the Internet after the video was shared widely. Speaking to Aaj Tak, said that the supposed slap was actually a shot from a new work-in-progress film. “I have just come to know about this news. I was watching the same video just now. Nana has not hit anyone, rather that is a shot from my film. We were filming it on the road in the middle of Banaras, where a boy who comes near Nana has to be hit on the head. Shooting was going on and Nana also hit him," he said.
Mr Sharma, who recently delivered the megahit Gadar 2, added, “But the crowd gathered there recorded it on their mobile cameras and then leaked the shot of the film. Now, Nana is being projected as a negative and rude actor on social media, which is completely wrong. Through Aaj Tak, I would request that the fans understand the truth of this video. This is a shot from the film. Nana has not hit anyone.” In the viral video, Nana Patekar is seen shooting in a crowded street dressed in a suit, amid a bunch of onlookers. The fan is seen running towards Nana Patekar, asking him for a selfie and attempting to click a photo. At this, the actor smacks the fan on the head, pushing him away. Then another man, presumably a crew member, is seen grabbing the boy by the neck and making him leave. The clip was shared by many accounts on X like this one:
Meanwhile, Nana Patekar also made headlines recently when he opened up about not being a part of Welcome 3. At the trailer launch of The Vaccine War, headlined by Nana Patekar, he was asked about his absence in the latest instalment of the comedy franchise. To this, Nana Patekar said, “I am not a part of it, maybe they think hum bahut puraane ho gaye hai (I have become outdated)."
Nana Patekar -- a recipient of three National Film Awards -- is known for his work in films such as Natsamrat, Wajood, Parinda, Ab Tak Chhappan and Yeshwant, among others.