Amitabh Bachchan joined the legion of Bollywood celebrities and public figures who paid tribute to the late Nana Patekar on Thursday. The veteran actor died at the age of 75 on Thursday morning at his residence in Goa, and was later cremated with full state honours at his farmhouse in Pune.
The two celebrated actors worked together on the 1999 action thriller film, Kohram, directed by Mehul Kumar. And a respectful bow to your art, which you lived with complete honesty and dedication,” The KBC host recalled Nana’s appearance on season 16, when the actor participated in a special episode and donated his prize money to social work. He connected with the farmers of the Maharashtra villages suffering due to inadequate rainfall and personally helped them,” he said.
In the emotional tribute to his close friend, Big B fondly remembered his candour, simplicity and commitment to social causes. “His outspokenness, his simplicity, and his courage to speak the truth and call a spade a spade are some of the qualities that set him apart from others. Some people leave our lives, but their voice, their philanthropy, and the lessons they taught remain within us. Remembering his co-actor and friend, Amitabh added, “A personal salute to you, Nana. “His words not only inspired us, but the noble cause to which he dedicated his prize money was a true example of his community service. Concluding his tribute, Amitabh Bachchan offered heartfelt condolences to Patekar’s family on behalf of the entire KBC team.
Amitabh described Nana as an “adwitiya kalakar” (incomparable artist), friend, well-wisher and an exceptional social worker. He said his passing was a loss not only to the Indian film industry but also to everyone who had known him. Nana was one of those people,” Amitabh said in the video.
On Thursday night, Sony TV shared a video of Amitabh, filmed on the sets of his game show Kaun Banega Crorepati , where the actor spoke about Nana’s demise and his memories.
In a career spanning around five decades, Nana Patekar worked across Hindi and Marathi cinema and was known as one of the foremost Indian actors of his generation. A three-time National Award winner, Nana worked in both acclaimed independent films and commercial blockbusters, earning a name for himself with performances in films such as Krantiveer, Parinda, Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical, Ab Tak Chhappan, Natsamrat and Welcome. Through their work, they become immortal. Secondly, his mindset was always consistent; he would frequently repeat the line, ‘Let’s get together in the name of humanity and work for the betterment of the world. Through our organisation, work was already underway in the water sector, and large-scale initiatives in education and health had begun in Kashmir as well. Thirdly, he assigned specific responsibilities to everyone before he left.”
The actor was consigned to the flames at around 11.30 PM by his son, Malhar, in the presence of several dignitaries, including Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis , and thousands of fans.
He said his father’s work had made him immortal and that his vision, particularly his social initiatives through the Naam Foundation, would be carried forward even after his demise. Earlier reporting noted: Speaking to reporters about his father’s legacy, Malhar Patekar said, “A person like Nana Saheb never truly leaves us.
Earlier reporting noted: After the funeral, Malhar Patekar spoke to reporters present outside the farmhouse and addressed his father’s death. Earlier reporting noted: Why were Nana Patekar’s last rites performed at almost midnight, son Malhar Patekar reveals Veteran actor Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours late on Thursday night at his farmhouse in Pune.
