Veteran actor Nana Patekar (Vishwanath Patekar) was laid to rest with full state honours on October 8 at his farmhouse in Donaje, Pune. The actor, who reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa, was flown to Pune late in the evening, where his last rites were performed at his farmhouse.Nana Patekar, often regarded as an institution in acting, delivered several powerful performances that left a lasting impression on audiences. However, apart from his intense roles, the veteran actor also entertained audiences with his impeccable comic timing. Several scenes from his films have since become popular internet memes, with audiences finding them relatable. One such viral moment is the ‘Le Main Bhi Nacha’ scene from his 2010 film ‘Tum Milo Toh Sahi’.But did you know that the now-famous scene was inspired by a real-life incident? Nana Patekar once spoke about the experience during a conversation with Radio City, revealing that the incident had actually happened to him and that he later decided to include it in a film.“The scene actually happened to me once. I was at a signal, and a eunuch came and danced for me. He started asking me for money, saying, ‘Tu hero hai, achhe films karega’ and all. Since it was a signal and all the vehicles were stopped, I came out of my car and danced for him and asked for money,” the late actor shared.
Nana Patekar’s last rites held with full state honours
Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours at his farmhouse in Donaje, Pune on Thursday, amid chants of “Nana Amar Rahe” (Long Live Nana). According to his associates, the actor had expressed a wish to be cremated at the farmhouse. His son, Malhar, lit the funeral pyre.Several film personalities from both Marathi and Hindi industry, including Jackie Shroff, Sajid Nadiadwala, Makarand Anaspure, Medha Manjrekar and Anil Sharma, attended the last rites, alongside political dignitaries. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the actor’s native village to pay his respects, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to him at Pune airport before leaving for Mumbai.
Nana Patekar’s illustrious career
Nana Patekar died at the age of 75 after reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. Reports stated that he had complained of a headache before being found unconscious and rushed to hospital. Doctors reportedly attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes, but he could not be saved.Born on January 1, 1951 at Murud, Maharashtra, the actor built an enduring career through powerful performances in films such as ‘Parinda’, ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’, ‘Natsamrat’, ‘Wajood’ and ‘Welcome’.A three-time National Film Award winner, Nana Patekar was also honoured with the Padma Shri in 2013 for his contribution to cinema and the arts.