Amitabh Bachchan Shares KBC Memories of Nana Patekar

A quiet throwback after a shocking loss

Nana Patekar’s death on Thursday morning has left Hindi cinema in mourning, and Amitabh Bachchan’s response was not a long statement but a memory. The megastar turned to Instagram with old clips from Kaun Banega Crorepati that capture the late actor at his most unguarded.

In one clip, Nana Patekar recalls shooting a KBC episode with Bachchan. In another, he sits on the hot seat and sings “Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala”. Bachchan also shared the videos to his Instagram Stories, a small gesture that quickly became part of the wider public farewell.

What we know about his passing

Nana Patekar suffered a severe cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. He reportedly felt uneasy in the early hours and called a friend, after which he was taken to Manipal Hospital. Doctors are said to have tried to revive him for about 45 minutes.

His mortal remains were taken to Pune. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid respects at the airport before the body was taken by road to the family farmhouse in Donje village.

A state-honoured farewell

The last rites drew political leaders, film personalities and more than 1,000 admirers. The body was draped in the Tricolour, and a marching band accompanied the procession.

• Female police officers fired a 21-gun salute.
• Chants of “Nana Patekar amar rahe!” rang out near the pyre.
• Organisers set up a raised platform, a dignitaries’ tent, barricades and a large public screen.

Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar attended, as did Union Ministers Murlidhar Mohol and Ramdas Athawale and actors Jackie Shroff, Pravin Tarde and Kiran Yadnyopavit. Shops around Khadakwasla stayed shut so the procession could pass smoothly.

Why the KBC clip matters

For fans, the throwback is more than a tribute. It shows the easy rapport between two actors from different traditions of stardom: Bachchan as the polished host, Nana Patekar as the raw, unpredictable guest. That contrast made the episode memorable, and the song clip now works as an accidental farewell.

Fans who want the full moment can look for the original NDTV interview clip, where Nana Patekar described the KBC shoot, and the show’s own episode clip of the song. The two videos together form a small, self-contained tribute: one about the work of making television, the other about performing a song that now sounds like a comment on carrying on.

Celebrity tributes can sometimes feel routine, but Bachchan’s choice of a long-ago television moment gives younger fans a reason to search for Nana Patekar’s older work. It also changes the tone of the news cycle, from hospital updates and funeral logistics to a small piece of performer history.

Source: The Times of India