Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75 in Goa on October 8. His last rites were performed with full state honours at his Donje farmhouse in Pune on Thursday night, after sunset. The funeral was held shortly after his mortal remains arrived at the venue, leaving several Bollywood celebrities and industry colleagues unable to attend.
Among those present were Jackie Shroff, Tukaram Munde, Shyam Kaushal, Anees Bazmee, his son Malhar Patekar and other family members.
Nana Patekar was laid to rest with state honours, with a three-gun salute accorded as part of the ceremony.
Following the cremation, Malhar spoke to the media and explained why the last rites were performed late at night. He said that the family and his father’s mortal remains were in Goa, and bringing them to the farmhouse in Pune took considerable time due to the long journey.
“We expected that we would arrive earlier, but it took us some time. He passed away early in the morning, so a lot of time had already passed, and it was not advisable to keep the mortal remains for long. Hence, we had to do the cremation after sunset,” he said.
A large crowd also assembled to pay their final respects. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Pune airport to pay tribute to Nana Patekar before departing for Mumbai, while Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the Pune farmhouse to offer his condolences.
Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75 in Goa following a cardiac arrest. After the incident, doctors attempted CPR and resuscitation for about 45 minutes but declared him dead on arrival at the hospital.
Numerous prominent Indian film personalities expressed their grief on social media.
Bollywood star Salman Khan posted a tribute on Instagram Stories, writing, “Nanaaaaa… Rest in peace bhau.”
Ajay Devgn shared his condolences via X, formerly Twitter, posting a still from their film Apaharan along with a heartfelt note praising the late actor’s powerful presence and unforgettable performances.
Devgn wrote, “Not many made us happy, sad and feel anger quite the way Nana did. His presence was powerful, his performances unforgettable, and his absence will now be deeply felt. Rest well, Nana. Om Shanti.”
Actor Kamal Haasan also took to X, sharing a throwback photo with Nana Patekar and reflecting on his extraordinary artistry and humanity. He highlighted Patekar’s efforts to help farmers in Maharashtra and his volunteer service during the Kargil War, describing him as a force of nature.
Haasan wrote, “Heartbreaking news of Nana Patekar Ji’s passing. An extraordinary artist and an even greater human being. The man was a force of nature, and he uplifted the lives of those around him. Beyond the screen, his work helping farmers in Maharashtra and his volunteer service during the Kargil War spoke volumes about his deep sense of duty. My deepest condolences to his family and his legions of fans.”
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan also paid an emotional tribute to veteran actor Nana Patekar following his death on October 8. Remembering the late actor, Shah Rukh shared a throwback picture with him on Instagram and recalled some of their most memorable moments together.
Shah Rukh spoke about his first meeting with Nana and remembered how the veteran actor immediately corrected him instead of treating him like a star.
He wrote, “When I first met him, out of awe and awkwardness I fiddled with my hair. He slapped my hand away and said ‘hero ki tarah Baal mat bana…tu actor hai’.”
“He didn’t flatter you. He didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear. He told you what you needed to hear. That was Nana. Straightforward. Rough, honest and had the most beautiful smile. He always had a strange way of showing affection. He would shout at you first, and then somewhere between the third or fourth insult, you realised you were being hugged. He loved me and I loved him back,” SRK added.
Calling him a mentor, teacher, critic and friend, the actor further mentioned, “Nana, your intensity, laughter, madness and love will always stay with us. I just wish we had time to have more conversations, another argument, another cup of tea and a game of carrom. You have left a void not only in the world of cinema but in the hearts of all Indians and the world. All I can say is, I will miss you dearly and carry your words in my heart till the end of time… ‘hero banne ke chakar mein actor mat khona’.”
“May your soul rest in peace, Nana, and Allah bless you. The Heavens will be blessed to have you… a masterful actor and an unbeatable carrom champion. Love you and miss you dearly!! Too soon my Hero Actor! RIP,” Shah Rukh concluded his post.