Nana Patekar’s death has brought renewed attention to ‘Parinda’, the 1989 crime drama that transformed him into one of Hindi cinema’s most formidable actors and later became one of the rare Bollywood films to receive a Hollywood remake, writes Hindustan Times.
Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, ‘Parinda’ followed two brothers, played by Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff, whose lives become entangled with a ruthless underworld don played by Patekar. His portrayal of Anna became a landmark in the depiction of violence and criminality in mainstream Hindi cinema.
The film earned critical and commercial success, winning two National Film Awards and five Filmfare Awards. It was also India’s official entry for the 1990 Academy Awards. Patekar won his first National Film Award for his performance.
More than two decades later, Chopra adapted the story for American audiences as ‘Broken Horses’. The 2015 film shifted the story to the American Midwest, replacing Mumbai’s underworld with a Western-inspired setting of ranches, gunfights and sprawling landscapes.
Anton Yelchin and Chris Marquette played the central roles, while Vincent D’Onofrio took on the equivalent of Patekar’s Anna. Oscar-nominated cinematographer Tom Stern and composer John Debney also joined the project.
Despite its impressive cast and crew, ‘Broken Horses’ failed commercially. Made for around $15 million, it earned less than $300,000 worldwide and received a 26 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Its failure, however, did little to diminish ‘Parinda’. The original remains widely regarded as a landmark of Indian crime cinema, while Patekar’s intense performance continues to be remembered as one of the defining villainous portrayals of its era.
For an actor whose career was built on making characters unforgettable, Anna remains one of Nana Patekar’s most enduring legacies.
