Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Pays Tribute to Nana Patekar, Calls His Death an Irreplaceable Loss
New Delhi — Renowned sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has paid tribute to veteran actor Nana Patekar, who died at the age of 75 in Goa on October 8, remembering him as an exceptional performer whose legacy will endure through his films.
Khan said he had met Patekar only once but had long admired his work and watched many of his films.
“We are very sad to hear that legendary Nana Patekar is passing away. He was a great artist, and we all admired his work. I had the honor of meeting him only once, and I still remember seeing many of his films,” Khan said.
The musician described Patekar’s death as a tremendous loss to Indian cinema, saying the actor’s distinctive talent could never be replaced.
“I don’t think anybody can replace him. He was a great actor. It’s a great loss of the film industry. He will always be remembered. He will always live in our hearts and minds, and through his films he’ll always be remembered,” he said.
Patekar’s final rites were performed Thursday evening at his farmhouse in Donje, in Maharashtra’s Pune district, where he was cremated with full state honors and given a three-gun salute.
His son, Malhar Patekar, later explained why the cremation took place after sunset, saying the family had faced delays transporting the actor’s remains from Goa to the farmhouse.
“We were in Goa, and his mortal remains were to be brought to the farmhouse in the village. 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 the sunset,” Malhar told reporters.
According to reports, Patekar suffered a cardiac arrest and was taken to a hospital, where medical personnel attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other lifesaving measures for approximately 45 minutes. He was subsequently declared dead.
Patekar, known for his commanding screen presence and memorable performances in Hindi and Marathi cinema, leaves behind a film career spanning nearly five decades. (Source: IANS)
