A journey cut short: Nishikant Kamat is no more

Mona

Gone too soon was the common sentiment as National Award-winning actor-director Nishikant Kamat breathed his last on Monday in Hyderabad. The 50-year-old enjoyed critical as well as commercial success with his films Mumbai Meri Jaan, Drishyam, Madaari, Force and Rocky Handsome, to name a few. Suffering from chronic liver disease, Kamat was hospitalised since July 31.

Kamat entered the film industry as an actor in 2004 with Hava Aney Dey. Another acting stint in Marathi film Saatchya Aat Gharat, which he also penned, followed. But it was his directional debut, Dombivali Fast, with which Kamat established his feet firmly in the film industry. The R Madhavan-starrer got Kamat the National Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi in 2006. The story, said to be loosely inspired by Hollywood movie Falling Down, was made in Tamil as well. It was named Evano Oruvan and while Kamat directed it, Madhavan starred in it.

Creative streak

Through his decade-and-a-half journey, Kamat dabbled in Marathi, Hindi and Tamil cinema. His debut directorial venture in Hindi, Mumbai Meri Jaan, which dealt with the aftermath of 2006 Mumbai train bombings, won three Filmfare Awards — Critics Award for Best Movie, Best Screenplay Award and Best Editing Award. It also won the National Film Award for Best Special Effects (2008).

The film Force started a winning partnership between Kamat and John Abraham while Lai Bhaari in Marathi cemented his mettle as a director. It became the highest-grossing Marathi film ever at that time, running for more than 100 days in Maharashtra.

Drishyam, a thriller with Ajay Devgn and Tabu in the leading roles, got Kamat critical and commercial success. It was a remake of a Malayalam film by the same name. Kamat shared in an interview that he had only envisaged Tabu in a cop’s role, but when he narrated the script to the actress, she, having seen the Malayalam version, agreed instantly.

Love for thrillers

Rocky Handsome was another action thriller with John Abraham in the lead role. Thrillers, in fact, remained Kamat’s favourite genre; his 404: Error Not Found was a psychological thriller in which he played a professor with bipolar disorder. In Madaari, Irrfan Khan stepped into the shoes of the protagonist. A social thriller, this rather expensive film, despite being hailed as one of Irrfan’s best, could not woo the audience. After that, Kamat was seen in Fugay (Marathi), Daddy, Julie 2 and Bhavesh Joshi as an actor.

Kamat took pride in his straightforward approach and his friends outside the film industry, who stood by him in his tough times. He enjoyed acting and was very strict as a director; he was the one who would stick to his script!