- Veteran actor Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours in Donje village near Pune
- His last rites occurred late on October 8 after his death from cardiac arrest in Goa
- Malhar Patekar explained cremation delay was due to transportation of the mortal remains
Veteran actor Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours at his family's farmhouse in Donje village, on the outskirts of Pune, late on Thursday night, October 8.
The last rites took place at around 11.30 pm at the property known as Nanachi Wadi, hours after the actor died following a cardiac arrest in Goa.
Malhar Patekar Reveals Reason
Following the funeral, Nana Patekar's son, Malhar Patekar, spoke about the delay and explained why the family decided to perform the last rites on Thursday itself.
Speaking to ANI, Malhar said the family had expected his father's mortal remains to reach the farmhouse earlier. However, the transportation took longer than anticipated. With several hours having passed since the actor's death, the family decided not to postpone the cremation.
"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," he responded.
In Hindu customs, cremations are traditionally preferred during daylight hours, as some communities consider performing the last rites after sunset inauspicious. However, funeral practices differ across regions and families, and circumstances can influence the timing of the ceremony.
Malhar Patekar On His Father's Legacy And Social Work
Malhar also spoke about the legacy Nana Patekar leaves behind, particularly his work for society. He said the actor's commitment to humanitarian causes would continue through the initiatives he had supported and the responsibilities he had entrusted to others.
"A person like Nana Saheb never truly leaves us. 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 closely associated with social initiatives aimed at helping farmers and rural communities. In 2015, he co-founded the Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure to support farmers and communities affected by severe drought in Maharashtra. The organisation worked on water conservation and other initiatives to help drought-hit areas.
Nana Patekar's Death
Nana Patekar died on Thursday morning after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. According to reports, he contacted a friend in the early hours after feeling uneasy and was taken to Manipal Hospital. Doctors reportedly attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes.
His mortal remains were subsequently transported to Pune. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid his respects at the airport before the actor's body was taken by road to the family farmhouse in Donje village.
The funeral was attended by political leaders, members of the film industry and more than 1,000 admirers. His mortal remains were draped in the Tricolour, and a marching band accompanied the procession. A 21-gun salute by female police officers marked the ceremony.
Fans had begun arriving at the venue in the afternoon, with many waiting for hours to pay their final respects. Chants of "Nana Patekar amar rahe!" echoed at the funeral as people gathered to bid farewell to the veteran actor.
Among those who attended were Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, Union Ministers Murlidhar Mohol and Ramdas Athawale, and state ministers Chandrakant Patil, Uday Samant and Madhuri Misal. Actors Jackie Shroff and Pravin Tarde, along with Kiran Yadnyopavit, were also present.
Arrangements were made to manage the large gathering, including an elevated platform for the funeral pyre, a tent for dignitaries, barricades to regulate the crowd and a large screen for members of the public. Several establishments in and around Khadakwasla remained closed to facilitate the funeral procession.