Pune, 09 October (H.S.): Veteran actor Nana Patekar was given a state-honoured farewell at his farmhouse in Donje near Pune on Friday. A police contingent presented a salute to the veteran actor, as a large number of fans and members of the public gathered to pay their last respects.

Patekar's death has left the Marathi and Hindi film industries mourning the loss of an actor whose performances influenced generations of audiences. He suffered a cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, and was taken to Manipal Hospital. Doctors attempted to revive him through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for around 45 minutes, but he died during treatment.

His mortal remains were flown from Goa to Pune and taken from the airport to his farmhouse in Donje. Fans and local residents gathered at the venue to pay their final respects, with many visibly emotional as they bid farewell to the actor.

Several prominent figures from politics, social work and the film industry attended the last rites. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid his last respects at Pune airport and in Donje and offered condolences to the bereaved family.

Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, state minister Chandrakant Patil, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, Ramdas Athawale, Sunil Tatkare, Madhuri Misal, legislators Gopichand Padalkar and Arjun Khotkar, Rupali Chakankar, Sadabhau Khot and Uday Samant were among those who paid tribute.

Actors Makarand Anaspure, Nagraj Manjule, Neena Kulkarni, Pravin Tarde, Suresh Wadkar, Purushottam Berde and Sushant Shelar, along with writer Arvind Jagtap and representatives of the Naam Foundation, were also present.

Born Vishwanath Patekar, Nana began his film career with 'Gaman' in 1978. He went on to establish a distinct identity in Marathi and Hindi cinema through performances in films such as 'Parinda', 'Angaar', 'Tirangaa', 'Krantiveer', 'Agni Sakshi', 'Khamoshi: The Musical', 'Ab Tak Chhappan' and 'Apaharan'.

His performance in 'Parinda' earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He received three National Film Awards during his career and was conferred the Padma Shri in 2013. His portrayal of Ganpatrao Belwalkar in 'Natsamrat' drew acclaim, while his role as Uday Shetty in 'Welcome' showcased his comic timing.

Beyond cinema, Patekar was associated with social work through the Naam Foundation, which has supported farmers and people in drought-affected areas. His contribution to cinema and social causes was recalled by those who gathered to pay their final respects.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar