Quote of the Day by Nana Patekar: When I'm facing the camera, I'm an actor; otherwise...

“When I’m facing the camera, I’m an actor; otherwise, I’m a common man.”Nana Patekar described stardom as temporary and said he did not want celebrity status to become the measure of his life. Patekar, born Vishwanath Patekar in Maharashtra, built a career across Hindi and Marathi cinema after beginning with theatre. He made his film debut with Gaman in 1978 and went on to deliver acclaimed performances in films including Parinda, Krantiveer, Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical, Ab Tak Chhappan and Natsamrat. He won three National Film Awards and was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to cinema and the arts. These words by him came in a 2015 interview with Hindustan Times, while speaking about fame and why he preferred to stay away from the limelight.WHAT DID NANA PATEKAR MEAN?The quote draws a clear line between the performer and the person. When the camera is rolling, Patekar saw his responsibility as being an actor — entering a character, delivering the performance and doing his job. But once the camera stops, he did not want to carry that identity into everyday life.In the same interview, he said that stardom was temporary and that he was comfortable travelling in an auto-rickshaw, recalling that there was a time when he could not even afford one. His words show why he often kept away from unnecessary publicity. For Patekar, being recognised on screen did not mean that he had to live as a celebrity off it.MORE QUOTES BY NANA PATEKAR“Stardom is temporary.” — Patekar on why fame should not become the centre of one’s life. “Expressing your views on social media doesn’t solve any problem.” — He said action mattered more than simply commenting on an issue. “What is important is what you are actually doing to solve that problem.” — Patekar on moving beyond opinions and addressing problems. “When you can afford to be choosy, then why not?” — He explained his approach to selecting film roles. For an actor who spent decades in the spotlight, Patekar’s own distinction remained simple: the actor belongs to the camera; the man belongs to himself.- Ends