Welcome’s Majnu bhai, Anil Kapoor , shared a touching tribute to his on-screen brother and real-life friend Nana Patekar on Thursday evening. Nana died in Goa on Thursday morning after a cardiac arrest, and was cremated with full state honours in Pune later in the day.
The two actors first worked together in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 1989 film Parinda, which earned Nana his first National Award. The two actors collaborated in many films after that, including as the beloved Uday and Majnu duo in Anees Bazmee’s 2007 hit Welcome, before reprising their roles in the sequel, Welcome Back. Equating Nana’s death to the loss of another actor friend, Satish Kaushik, Anil wrote, “Mera dost mujhe chhodkar chala gaya… pehle Satish aur ab mera Nanya. NANYA, tu achanak bohot jaldi chala gaya… Duniya ka sabse bada kalakaar, humein chhodkar hamesha-hamesha ke liye chala gaya (My friend has left me. First Satish and now Nanya. Nanya, you left so suddenly and so soon. The world’s biggest artiste has left us forever). Bidding an emotional farewell to his friend, Kapoor shared that he would miss Nana in his life, on film sets, and on the big screen. Along with his post, Anil Kapoor also shared a picture of himself with the late actor. Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor were longtime friends. Their chemistry and comedy timing in the comedies earned them praise and love. Since the news came out, tributes have been pouring in across social media platforms, with actors, members of the film fraternity, politicians, and fans remembering Patekar’s legacy.
In the heartfelt Instagram post, Anil Kapoor affectionately called Patekar “nanya”, referring to him as the world’s biggest artist. “Bohot miss karunga tujhe, life mein, set par, phone par aur bade parde par,” the actor concluded. On Thursday evening, Anil Kapoor took to Instagram to share an emotional tribute for his friend and co-star.
The late actor’s last rites were performed at his farmhouse, affectionately known as Nanachi Wadi, in Donje village near Khadakwasla, Pune, late on Thursday night in the presence of senior political leaders and thousands of fans.
