Dono kareeb the: Agni Sakshi writer on Nana Patekar-Manisha Koirala romance rumours

The equation between Nana Patekar and Manisha Koirala on the sets of Agni Sakshi has long been a subject of curiosity. The film’s writer, Ranbir Pushp, has now recalled the two actors’ bond, saying they were close and shared an understanding while working together, though he never personally saw it as a romantic relationship.

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Ranbir acknowledged that Nana and Manisha shared a close bond. Speaking about the two actors, the writer said, "Haan yeh hua hai, ab isko romance kahe ya dosti, that God knows. But dono kareeb the. Aapas mein understanding thi. Scenes discuss karke karte the aur performance screen pe nazar aati thi. (Yes, this did happen. Now whether you call it romance or friendship, only God knows. But the two were close. There was understanding between them. They would discuss the scenes before performing, and that showed on screen)."

When the host asked him if the friendship was deep, Ranbir replied, "Bilkul thi (Absolutely)."

The conversation then turned to whether Ranbir ever felt that the chemistry between Nana and Manisha went beyond friendship.

Ranbir said, "Nahi, kabhi nahi. Main ne uss tareeqe se kabhi socha nahi. Dosti aur understanding thi. Aur scenes discuss karte the. Isse zyaada khayal bhi nahi aaya mujhe kabhi. Baad mein sunne mein aayi, papers mein yeh baatein aayi, padhne ko bhi mila, par main ne kabhi observe nahi kiya.(No, never. I never thought of it that way. There was friendship and understanding. They would discuss the scenes together. Beyond that, the thought never even crossed my mind. Later I heard about it, these things came up in the papers, I even read them, but I never observed it myself.)”

Ranbir also explained that he was primarily focused on his own work while on the sets and did not closely observe the personal equation between the actors.

"Zyaada mera kaam se matlab hota tha. Mera scene diya, chala gaya, aa gaya. Thodi der rukey, shooting dekhi. (Mostly, I was focused on my work. I would give my scene, leave, and then come back. I stayed for a little while, watched the shooting.)"

Agni Sakshi, directed by Partho Ghosh, was released in 1996. The psychological thriller starred Jackie Shroff, Manisha Koirala and Nana Patekar in the lead roles.

Over the years, speculation about Nana and Manisha's alleged relationship has continued to be part of discussions around the film. Ranbir's latest comments, however, are based on his own experience of working with the two actors and do not confirm a romantic relationship between them.- EndsPublished By: shweta keshriPublished On: Sep 16, 2026 10:24 ISTALSO READ | Flashback (1996) | Nana Patekar: The avenger of all wrongs