Nana Patekar and Raaj Kumar, both known for their strong personalities, were considered a risky pairing for Tirangaa (1993). Director Mehul Kumar was warned about potential conflicts. In a recent interview, he revealed that Nana insisted he would leave if Raaj Kumar interfered, while Raaj Kumar initially objected to Nana’s casting due to his reputation.
In a conversation with the YouTube channel Shreshth Bharat, Mehul Kumar revealed that Nana Patekar was impressed by the film’s subject, title, and his character but had one condition—if Raaj Kumar interfered, he would leave the set and not return. When Mehul informed Raaj Kumar about casting Nana, the veteran actor expressed concerns over Nana’s on-set behavior, questioning the decision.
Mehul Kumar recounted his conversation with Raaj Kumar, where he informed him about Nana Patekar’s condition of leaving the set if there was any interference. In response, Raaj Kumar reassured him that he never interfered and reminded Mehul of their previous collaborations. Mehul further assured Raaj Kumar that Nana had promised no issues on set. Interestingly, once filming began, the two actors developed a friendship, especially after shooting the song Peele Peele.
Tirangaa also featured Harish Kumar, Mamta Kulkarni, and Varsha Usgaonkar. The film was a huge success upon release and has only grown in popularity over the years, thanks to frequent satellite reruns.
