Thousands gathered at veteran actor Nana Patekar’s farmhouse in Donje, near Pune, on Thursday to bid him farewell. Mourners chanted “Nana Amar Rahe” (Long Live Nana) as his family performed the last rites with full state honours. Patekar, 75, died on 8 October after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa.
According to NDTV, Patekar had told associates that he wanted his final rites to take place at his farmhouse. His son, Malhar Patekar, lit the funeral pyre.
Actors Jackie Shroff, Sajid Nadiadwala and Anil Sharma attended the funeral, alongside several political dignitaries. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also visited the actor’s native village to pay his last respects. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to Patekar at Pune airport before leaving for Mumbai.
Patekar had been staying at his Goa residence with his nephew, Prasad Patekar, when his health deteriorated. According to sources cited by NDTV, he had complained of a headache since the previous night. His family later found him unconscious and rushed him to hospital.
Manipal Hospital said doctors tried to revive the actor for almost 45 minutes after his arrival, but he did not respond. The hospital declared him dead at 5:20 am.
Born in Maharashtra on 1 January 1951, Patekar built a reputation for his intense screen presence, distinctive dialogue delivery and portrayals of complex, unconventional characters. He won three National Film Awards and appeared in films including Natsamrat, Wajood, Parinda, Ab Tak Chhappan and Yeshwant.
He made his Bollywood debut with the 1978 film Gaman. In the early 2000s, he earned praise for his performances in Shakti: The Power (2002), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Apaharan (2005) and Taxi No 9211 (2006).
Audiences also embraced his comic turn as gangster Uday Shetty in Welcome (2007) and its sequel, Welcome Back (2015). Patekar received the Padma Shri in 2013 for his contribution to cinema and the arts.
His last public appearance came four days before his death, at the Samraat Club International installation ceremony in Dona Paula, Goa, where he attended and addressed the gathering.
Patekar is survived by his wife, Neelkanthi Patekar, and son Malhar.
