Why Were Nana Patekar’s Last Rites Held Late at Night?
News Desk
PUNE: The late-night funeral of Bollywood actor Nana Patekar on October 8 raised questions about the timing of his final rites, prompting his son, Malhar Patekar, to clarify that delays in transporting his father’s mortal remains from Goa to their farmhouse in Donje, near Pune, were the reason behind the decision.
According to Indian media reports, Nana Patekar’s last rites were performed on Thursday night at his farmhouse in Donje, where family members, film personalities, political figures and thousands of fans gathered to bid farewell to the veteran actor.
When asked why the funeral had been held so late, Malhar explained that there was no particular reason for the timing. The journey from Goa to Pune had simply taken longer than expected, leaving the family with limited time to complete the final rites earlier in the day.
“Nana Saheb passed away in the morning, and a considerable amount of time had already elapsed, so we decided to perform the last rites on that very day,” Malhar said.
The actor was reportedly given a farewell with state honours. Among those who attended the funeral were Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff, filmmaker Anil Sharma, Marathi actor Pravin Tarde, film director Mehul Kumar and Medha Manjrekar, wife of actor Mahesh Manjrekar. A large number of admirers also gathered to pay their final respects.
What Happened Before Nana Patekar’s Death?
Nana Patekar, 75, reportedly suffered severe chest pain at his residence in Goa on the morning of October 8. According to Indian media reports, a medical team arrived at his home and found him unconscious before he was taken to Manipal Hospital.
Doctors reportedly attempted to revive him through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for approximately 45 minutes. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, and his death was confirmed at 5:20 am.
Following his death, Goa Police registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of Indian law and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The registration of such a case is a procedural step to examine the circumstances of a death and does not, by itself, indicate that a crime has occurred.
Bollywood Mourns the Veteran Actor
Nana Patekar’s reported death prompted an outpouring of grief across the Indian film industry, with fellow actors and filmmakers remembering him as a friend, colleague and distinctive presence on screen.
Actor Anil Kapoor shared an emotional tribute, expressing his sorrow over losing another close friend. Recalling the earlier loss of actor Satish Kaushik, Kapoor wrote: “My friend has left me. First Satish, and now my Nana. Nana, you left too soon. I will miss you dearly—in life, during film shoots, on the phone, and on the big screen.”
Actor Anupam Kher also expressed his grief while remembering Patekar. Meanwhile, Salman Khan reportedly postponed a scheduled public event, while Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and other film personalities paid tribute to the actor.
The late-night funeral, the explanation offered by his son and the tributes from across Bollywood marked an emotional farewell to a figure whose performances had earned him a lasting place in Indian cinema.
