Veteran actor Nana Patekar considers a compliment from legendary director Satyajit Ray as his biggest award. Patekar revealed that Ray had written in his personal diary that he wanted to work with the actor, a sentiment Patekar found deeply rewarding. Despite never getting to work with Ray, this acknowledgment was more significant to Patekar than any formal award. Patekar, who will turn 75 on January 1, 2026, has starred in films like Krantiveer and Welcome and is set to appear in Vishal Bhardwaj's 'O Romeo'.