Nana Patekar’s Son Malhar Explains Why Actor’s Last Rites Were Held After Sunset

Veteran actor Nana Patekar’s last rites were performed with full state honours at his Donje farmhouse in Pune on Thursday evening, hours after his mortal remains were transported from Goa. The cremation took place after sunset, leaving several Bollywood celebrities and industry colleagues unable to attend.

Following the cremation, Nana Patekar’s son Malhar spoke to the media to explain the timing. He stated that transporting the remains from Goa to Pune took considerable time due to the distance. Malhar noted, “We expected that we would arrive earlier, but it took us some time. He passed away early in the morning so a lot of time had already passed, and it was not advisable to keep the mortal remains for long. Hence, we had to do the cremation after sunset.”

Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75 in Goa on October 8 after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula. After attempts to revive him at Manipal Hospital and necessary procedures at Goa Medical College, his remains were transported to Maharashtra.

Reflecting on his father's legacy, Malhar Patekar shared, “...The most important thing is that a person like Nana Sahib never really leaves us. I said this for the past two days as well: a person like Nana Sahib lives on through his work... In Marathi, we call such people ajaramar, meaning immortal.” He also recalled his father's frequent message: “Let’s get together in the name of humanity and work for the betterment of the world.”

Nana Patekar was closely associated with the Naam Foundation, which he co-founded with actor Makarand Anaspure to work on drought relief, water conservation, and support for farmers in Maharashtra. Tributes have poured in from the film industry, political circles, and fans remembering his contributions to Hindi and Marathi cinema.