Ashok Saraf and Nana Patekar’s Heartwarming Friendship: A Tale of Rs. 5 and Lifesaving Loyalty
MUMBAI – The bond between Marathi cinema legends Ashok Saraf and Nana Patekar is the stuff of industry lore, filled with anecdotes that blend humor, generosity, and unwavering loyalty. One such story, often recounted with a chuckle, involves Saraf paying Patekar Rs. 5 for pressing his feet during their early days in theater, a gesture that has become a charming symbol of their decades-long friendship.
In interviews and public appearances, Patekar has fondly recalled how Saraf, affectionately known as “Mama” in the Marathi film industry, supported him during his struggling years. While working together on the play Hamidabaichi Kothi in the 1970s, Patekar, then a budding actor, would massage Saraf’s feet and head after performances. In return, Saraf would hand him Rs. 5—a small sum even then, but significant for Patekar, who was in dire financial straits. “I needed the money,” Patekar admitted in a 2023 News18 interview, adding that Saraf’s generosity extended far beyond those playful payments.
Saraf’s support wasn’t limited to small change. Patekar has shared how Saraf once gave him a blank cheque to cover expenses when Patekar couldn’t afford flowers for an event, allowing him to withdraw Rs. 3,000 from Saraf’s account of Rs. 15,000. “He never asked me about that money,” Patekar said, noting that he repaid Saraf years later during the filming of the 1983 Marathi film Savitri. Saraf, in his characteristic humor, reportedly teased Patekar upon repayment, saying, “Bada aadmi ho gaya ab tu” (You’ve become a big man now).
Their friendship, forged in the crucible of Marathi theater, also saw moments of high drama. In a 2025 Loksatta interview, Saraf recounted a harrowing incident during a performance of Hamidabaichi Kothi. When a show was canceled, an angry crowd turned on Saraf, who was in the spotlight as a lead actor. Sensing danger, Patekar swiftly whisked him away through the back of the auditorium, loading him onto a bicycle and into a rickshaw to escape. “If Nana hadn’t been there, the crowd would’ve torn me apart,” Saraf said, a sentiment echoed in multiple reports. This lifesaving act cemented their bond, proving Patekar’s loyalty in a moment of chaos.
The Rs. 5 foot-pressing ritual has become a running joke between them. Patekar shared in a 2023 event that even today, when they meet, he playfully presses Saraf’s feet, and Saraf, true to form, hands over Rs. 5 with a laugh. This lighthearted tradition underscores their camaraderie, which has endured despite never sharing the screen in a film. Their work in Hamidabaichi Kothi, where Saraf earned Rs. 250 per show compared to Patekar’s Rs. 50, also saw Saraf deliberately lose at card games to slip Patekar extra cash, a subtle act of kindness during lean times.
This story of friendship resonates beyond Mumbai’s theater circles, mirroring the themes of crowded chaos and loyalty in your earlier prompts. Just as Portofino’s “frightened crowd” trapped tourists in its narrow streets, the angry mob in Saraf’s tale threatened to overwhelm him, only for Patekar to lead him to safety, much like the “steps” of their shared history bore witness to their bond. Similarly, the public scrutiny faced by figures like Dianna Agron or the San Francisco school district echoes the pressure Saraf and Patekar navigated, their friendship a steady anchor amid the storm.
Saraf, honored with the Padma Shri in 2025 and the Maharashtra Bhushan in 2023, and Patekar, a Padma Shri recipient himself, continue to be celebrated for their contributions to Marathi and Hindi cinema. Their friendship, marked by Rs. 5 payments and lifesaving rescues, remains a testament to the enduring power of loyalty in the face of life’s crowds.
If you’d like me to expand on their careers, delve into more anecdotes, or connect this to another prompt, let me know!
