When Nana Patekar got Shah Rukh Khan out of jail

A clip of Shah Rukh Khan recalling how actor Nana Patekar helped him get out of jail has resurfaced online and is going viral following Nana’s death. Shah Rukh shared the anecdote during a session at the THiNK fest in Goa in 2012, while recounting an incident from his early years in the film industry.Recalling the episode, Shah Rukh said he had reacted angrily after a magazine published a joke linking him romantically with a co-star. The report upset his wife, Gauri Khan, whom he had recently married, prompting him to confront the journalist responsible for it.“I was very embarrassed and I decided to change myself because the wife was very disturbed. Nana got me out of the jail finally, and he was very sweet,” Shah Rukh said during the conversation.The actor explained that he had called the journalist to question the report after the magazine dismissed it as a joke. He admitted that he behaved badly during the confrontation and later found himself in police custody. Shah Rukh recalled that when he was allowed to make a phone call from the lock-up, he chose to call the same journalist rather than his family or a lawyer, and threatened him again. He was subsequently granted bail, with Nana stepping in to help him.Looking back at the incident, Shah Rukh said he had changed over the years and tried to be more measured in his behaviour, although he joked that his Delhi side occasionally resurfaces. The anecdote has gained renewed attention following Nana Patekar’s death. Shah Rukh paid an emotional tribute to his Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman co-star, remembering him as a “mentor, teacher, critic and friend”.Recalling their first meeting, SRK said Nana had corrected him when he was styling his hair like a film hero. “Hero ki tarah Baal mat bana...tu actor hai!” he recalled Nana telling him.When I first met him, out of awe and awkwardness I fiddled with my hair. He slapped my hand away and said 'hero ki tarah Baal mat bana...tu actor hai'! He didn't flatter you. He didn't tell you what you wanted to hear. He told you what you needed to hear. That was Nana. Straightforward. Rough, honest and had the most beautiful smile. He always had a strange way of showing affection. He would shout at you first, and then somewhere between the third or fourth insult, you realised you were being hugged. He loved me and I loved him back. He was a mentor, a teacher, a critic and a friend who beat me and everyone else around him in carrom game after game and relished his victories. Nana your intensity, laughter , madness and love will always stay with us. I just wish we had time to have more conversations, another argument, another cup of tea and a game of carrom. You have left a void not only in the world of cinema but in the hearts of all Indians and the world. All I can say is, I will miss you dearly and carry your words in my heart till the end of time....'hero banne ke chakar mein actor mat khona' May your soul rest in peace Nana and Allah bless you. The Heavens will be blessed to have you... a masterful actor and an unbeatable carrom champion. Love you and miss you dearly!! Too soon my Hero Actor! RIP.— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) October 8, 2026Shah Rukh also remembered the actor’s blunt nature and the affection behind his tough approach. He said Nana would often shout at people before making them realise that he cared for them.The two actors worked together in Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (1992) and Shakti: The Power (2002), in which Shah Rukh made a special appearance. In his tribute, Shah Rukh expressed regret that they did not have more time for conversations, arguments, tea and carrom games.- Ends