Nana Patekar , one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable actors, died at the age of 75 on October 8 after cardiac arrest. The veteran actor was rushed to the hospital but he could not be revived. The news has left fans mourning the veteran performer, whose career spanned nearly five decades and included some of Hindi and Marathi cinema’s most memorable films. Tributes have also come in from Pakistan, where the actor had a strong following.
Basit spoke about a friendship that began in 1994 and lasted for years, recalling how Nana checked on him and his family during difficult times. The former Pakistan cricketer recalled first speaking to Nana in 1994 and described him as someone who remained in touch long after their initial meeting. Because of Nana Patekar, we first talked back in 1994, and it all started from there,” Basit said. Because the actor did not seem his age, he also spoke about how difficult it was to accept the news, recalling that he often called Nana a ‘young man’.
Pakistani cricketer Umar Akmal remembered Nana in a social media post, while former cricketer Basit Ali shared memories of his personal bond with the actor. Basit Ali shared a video after hearing the news of the death of the actor. The news brought back years of memories. “Early in the morning I heard sad news. Our very dear brother, friend, and living legend is no longer in this world—Nana Patekar Sahab has passed away. What a person he was; he acted in movies exactly as he was in real life. We had nicknamed Latif as ‘Nana’. He remembered how Nana regularly checked on his family, particularly when his mother was in hospital. Basit recalled their conversations about the actor’s films and the easy familiarity they shared, including the moments when Nana would jokingly dismiss his questions about particular scenes. “He was such a wonderful human being. For people who only knew him through movies, he was the exact same person in real life as well. People praised him, and we were fortunate to have many conversations. Sometimes we would ask him about a specific scene in a movie, and he would playfully say, ‘Shut up, what do you know?’. His wife, Neelkanti, and son, Malhar , were present.
He said the actor continued to offer support after her death and reached out again when Ali faced health problems of his own. The love and affection he gave as an elder was truly incredible,” he said. He said Patekar enjoyed considerable affection among Pakistani audiences, just as he did in India and elsewhere. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and actor Jackie Shroff were among those said to have paid their last respects.
Nana Patekar’s body was brought to Pune on Thursday evening from Goa and taken to his farmhouse in Donje, near Khadakwasla, where the final rites were reportedly held with full state honours.
