Contents
Nishikant Kamat was an Indian director, writer, and actor. He was a National Film Award winner for the Marathi film, ‘Dombivali Fast’ (2006).
Wiki/Biography
Nishikant Kamat was born on Wednesday, 17 June 1970 (age 50 years at the time of death), in Dadar, Maharashtra. His zodiac sign is Gemini. He did his graduation in hotel management from a college in Goa. He was the alumnus of Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College in Mumbai.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Hair Colour: Black
Family, Caste & Wife
He was born in a middle-class Maharashtrian family. His father used to work as a teacher in a private college, and his mother was a Sanskrit teacher.
In an interview, when he was asked about getting married, he said,
I realised during those three tough years of my life, that I could not look after myself so how could I look after someone else. I had my share of serious relationships and all outside the film industry, but now I don’t want to get married ever as I have this clarity that I don’t want any dependent visa on me.”
Career
While he was studying in Goa, he developed an interest in acting and became the cultural secretary of his college. Later, he started assisting an ad filmmaker in Mumbai. He then worked as an editor for three years and then worked as a TV director for seven years. He worked as a writer for four years. In 2004, he debuted as an actor in the Bollywood film, ‘Hava Aney Dey.’ He acted in various Hindi films like ‘Saatchya Aat Gharat’ (2004), ‘404 Error Not Found’ (2011), ‘Rocky Handsome’ (2016), and ‘Daddy’ (2017).
Nishikant Kamat in a FIlm
In 2005, he debuted as a director in the Marathi film, ‘Dombivali Fast’ (2005). Some of his Hindi films as a director are ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’ (2008), ‘Force’ (2011), ‘Drishyam’ (2015), ‘Rocky Handsome’ (2016), and ‘Madaari’ (2016). He directed a few Marathi films like ‘Lai Bhaari’ (2014) and ‘Fugay‘ (2017). He worked as a writer for the films like ‘Saatchya Aat Gharat’ (2004) and ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’ (2008). In 2019, he worked as a creative producer for the web-series, ‘The Final Call’ and ‘Rangbaaz Phirse.’
Favourite Things
- Food: Pav Bhaji, Chivda, Batata Vada
- Film(s): Lagaan (2001), 3 Idiots (2009), Sultan (2016)
- Destinations: Goa & London
Facts/Trivia
- While talking about his mother in an interview, he said,
My mother always wanted to see me as a filmmaker, but as the drama of life is, I became one only after she passed away in 2003 due to a heart attack.
- In an interview, he shared his struggle story, he said,
Film industry is not my life, it’s a part of my life. My friends are outside the industry. The period of three years from 1999 to 2001 was my toughest. I was actually sitting at home with no cheques coming in. I could not tell my parents that I did not have work. But I would make it a point to leave the house at 10 am every day saying that I was going for work and would come back at only 10 at night. I would in reality go and hang out with friends at Ruia College. I would have tea if a friend bought me some and would have food if someone paid for it, otherwise would sometimes even skip it but I would not take money for food from home. I have a friend Vinayak Kotian, who owns an Udupi restaurant in Matunga. During those three years, every day he would give me Rs 50 and he never asked me for it.
Nishikant Kamat with Vinayak Kotian
- He talked about his smoking habit in an interview to a leading news magazine.
- When he was asked, “Anything about yourself that you want to improve upon?” In an interview, he said,
I hate losing my temper even though I lose it just once in two years. I feel in any given situation, losing temper is a sign of weakness.
- He was a big fan of the legendary Bollywood actor, Amitabh Bachchan, in an interview, he said,
I grew up on Amitabh Bachchan. He is the only actor who I look at even now and I freeze. He is a childhood icon who I aspire to work with, but for that, I should have a correct script and he should like my face.
- On 17 August 2020, he died of multiple organ failure. He was suffering from chronic liver disease. He was on a ventilator in a hospital in Hyderabad due to liver cirrhosis. On 31 July 2020, he was admitted to AIG Hospitals, Gachibowli with jaundice and abdominal distention.