Veteran actor Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours late Thursday night at his farmhouse in Donje village, on the outskirts of Pune.
The legendary actor was consigned to the flames at around 11:30 PM by his son, Malhar Patekar, in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state dignitaries, and thousands of grieving fans.
Addressing reporters gathered outside the farmhouse following the cremation, Malhar Patekar explained why the family proceeded with the funeral late into the night rather than waiting until Friday morning.
Reason Behind the Midnight Last Rites
Nana Patekar passed away in Goa on Thursday morning after suffering a severe cardiac arrest. The actor had called a friend in the early hours of Thursday after experiencing discomfort and was rushed to Manipal Hospital, where medical staff attempted to revive him for 45 minutes before pronouncing him dead.
Explaining the timing of the cremation, Malhar shared that transit delays in transporting his father’s mortal remains from Goa to the Pune farmhouse stretched the schedule late into the evening.
“We were in Goa, and his mortal remains were to be brought to the farmhouse in the village. We expected it to arrive earlier, but it took us some time. We proceeded with the last rites today because the tragedy occurred early this morning, so a significant amount of time had already passed. That is why we decided to go ahead with it today,” Malhar told reporters.
”He Never Truly Leaves Us”: Carrying Forward a Legacy
Speaking about his father’s enduring impact, Malhar stated that Nana Patekar’s vision and extensive social work would continue through his family and social initiatives, particularly the Naam Foundation.
“A person like Nana Saheb never truly leaves us. Through their work, they become immortal,” Malhar said. “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. He assigned specific responsibilities to everyone before he left.”
The actor, widely revered for his iconic roles across Hindi and Marathi cinema, leaves behind a legacy of cinematic brilliance and impactful philanthropy.
