Nana Patekar once revealed the surprising business reason why his film Horn 'OK' Pleassss struggled to get a proper release.

"When the distributors were paying Rs. 18 crores, producers wanted more," the late actor had said, recalling the standoff that kept the film in limbo. The remark resurfaced this week as fans revisit his most candid interviews.

The romantic comedy, directed by Rakesh Sarang and co-starring Rimi Sen and Muzammil Ibrahim, was announced with fanfare but became mired in delays. It eventually saw only a limited release in India in 2009.

Patekar, who died on October 8 at 75, was known for speaking bluntly about the film industry's money games. His comment captured a familiar Bollywood story: a film held hostage not by creative problems but by a pricing disagreement.

The film later gained notoriety for other controversies, but Patekar's own telling kept the focus on commerce. For fans, the anecdote is a reminder of an actor who never minced words.