Nana Patekar’s enduring interest in cricket and shooting
Nana Patekar was described in an article published in Mumbai on October 08, 2026 as having a deep passion for cricket and, later in life, for competitive shooting; the piece recounted incidents from the 1995 National Games in Pune and his involvement in national shooting events.
The article said Anjali Bhagwat, the former World No. 1 and India’s first Olympic shooting finalist in 2000, experienced Patekar’s sporting engagement first-hand at the National Games in Pune in 1995, where the shooting events were held at a range in Worli (Mumbai) and Patekar had arrived as the chief guest for the prize distribution. Bhagwat had won all the gold medals on offer and Patekar joked, “Should I send over a truck for you to take all these gold medals home?” After the ceremony he approached her mentor, Bheeshmaraj Bam, and asked: “We have such a talented bunch of shooters. How can I be of any help?” The article reports that Patekar subsequently sponsored Bhagwat’s first professional shooting kit.
Bhagwat told the publication that Patekar was an accomplished shooter whose temperament showed through on the range: “He was also an excellent shooter. His focus and aggression as a shooter stood out,” she said. She added, “There are calm and quiet shooters and there are aggressive ones, but I always saw him as a focussed and aggressive shooter.” The article noted that Patekar took up competitive shooting in his 50s and, despite limited practice time because of his acting commitments, displayed notable technical understanding.
The piece recorded Patekar’s medals at national shooting events, saying he won a silver at the National Big Bore Shooting Championship in 2004 and a bronze in 2007. Bhagwat was quoted on his preparation time and aptitude: “He would get very less time to practise because of his busy schedule, but he was a natural. His technical knowledge was extremely impressive,” the article states.
On cricket, the article quoted Kiran More recalling Patekar’s regular calls during India’s 1989 tour of Pakistan, when telephone contact from home was scarce: “We used to get a lot of calls from India back then, from celebrities and all. Nana Patekar used to regularly make those trunk calls,” More recalled. More’s remarks continued: “At times he even tightened Sachin (Tendulkar) up to do well. He was so passionate that some of us would be cagey whenever he called. A genuine cricket fan indeed!”
The article said Patekar followed not only India’s international fixtures but also Mumbai’s domestic cricket scores and maintained friendships with several of the city’s cricketing figures from the 1980s and 1990s, which the piece described as giving him an insider connection to the game. It also reported that he was a regular at the annual party Sunil Gavaskar organises for his close friends and that he engaged with young shooters beyond attendance, offering practical support.
The article concluded that Patekar combined patronage, participation and fandom across cricket and shooting and carried his sporting engagement with the same intensity he brought to his stage and screen roles, noting, "And, much like the characters he inhabited on the stage and on screen, he did so with unmistakable intensity."