India, Oct. 9 -- Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali says he first spotted Patekar performing in a Marathi adaptation of The Threepenny Opera in Dadar in 1976 while he was casting for Gaman (1978). "I was mesmerised by the nimble, sharp performance of a young 25-year-old actor. He was like a Kalari sword - swift, precise and dangerous - in his words as much as in his body language." Their association extended beyond cinema: "He was also a graphic designer, and he took care of my stickers, publicity material and outdoor media. Our association therefore moved naturally between cinema, theatre, design and life."...