Nana Patekar cremated with state honours; son explains night rites
Malhar Patekar addressed questions about the late-night last rites as the 75-year-old actor was cremated with full state honours near Pune.
Nana Patekar’s final journey ended with full state honours, but one question followed the ceremony: why were the last rites held so late at night? His son Malhar answered it with the same directness the actor was known for.
The 75-year-old was cremated on the night of October 8 at his farmhouse in Donje village, near Pune’s Khadakwasla. He died in the early hours of Thursday at his residence in Goa.
A family decision, not a delay
As colleagues and public figures gathered, Malhar was asked why the family did not wait until morning so more people could pay their respects. His explanation was calm.
He told reporters that the tragedy had happened at dawn, and the family felt “samay kaafi beet chuka tha”—considerable time had already passed. Rather than stretch the wait, they chose to complete the rites the same day.
Who attended the farewell
The funeral brought together film and political figures. Jackie Shroff, Pravin Tarde, Sajid Nadiadwala and Anil Sharma were among those from cinema. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, and other Maharashtra dignitaries were also present.
A five-decade arc from theatre to Welcome
Patekar’s death closes a remarkable run. He started in Marathi theatre and made his film debut with Gaman in 1978. Across nearly five decades, he became one of Indian cinema’s most versatile performers.
- Dramatic roles: Parinda, Prahaar: The Final Attack, Krantiveer, Khamoshi: The Musical, Apaharan and Natsamrat.
- Comic turn: Uday Shetty in Welcome, a role he reprised in Welcome Back.
- Later films: The Vaccine War, Vanvaas, Housefull 5 and O’Romeo.
That range was the Patekar signature. He could move from the wound-up fury of Parinda to the grief of Natsamrat, then turn around and make audiences laugh as the bumbling Uday Shetty in Welcome. His work earned him three National Film Awards, several Filmfare honours and the Padma Shri.
Why this matters for fans
The late-night rites may have surprised some, but Malhar’s answer reframes them as a family’s wish to close a difficult day. It moved the conversation from speculation to a simple family decision.
The state honours and the presence of film and political leaders reflect how widely Patekar was respected. For Hindi film fans, the loss is also a reminder of a rare screen presence: menacing, fragile and unexpectedly hilarious, often within the same career.
Source: India Today
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