Nana Patekar death: Ustad Amjad Ali Khan mourns loss of 'great artist'
Synopsis
Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan remembered Nana Patekar as an irreplaceable artist after the legendary actor's death from cardiac arrest in Goa on 8 October, aged 75. Cremated with full state honours and a 3-gun salute at his Pune farmhouse, Patekar leaves behind a five-decade legacy that drew mourners from across India's cultural worlds.
Key Takeaways
Nana Patekar passed away on 8 October 2026 in Goa after suffering a cardiac arrest, aged 75 .
Doctors attempted CPR and resuscitation for approximately 45 minutes ; he was declared dead on arrival.
Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan paid tribute, calling Patekar 'a great artist' and saying 'nobody can replace him.' Final rites were held with full state honours at his farmhouse in Donje, Pune district , with a 3-gun salute .
Son Malhar Patekar said the cremation was conducted after sunset due to travel delays from Goa and the time already elapsed since the actor's death.
Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away on 8 October 2026 after suffering a cardiac arrest in Goa, aged 75. Among the many voices from the cultural world paying tribute is Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, who called Patekar's death 'a great loss for the film industry' and described him as an irreplaceable figure in Indian cinema.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan's Tribute
'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,' the Sarod maestro said. He added, 'I don't think anybody can replace him. He was a great actor... He will always live in our hearts and minds, and through his films he'll always be remembered.'
Final Hours and Medical Details
Patekar suffered a cardiac arrest, following which he was rushed to hospital. Doctors reportedly attempted CPR and resuscitation for approximately 45 minutes, but he was later declared dead on arrival. The actor passed away early in the morning on 8 October.
Last Rites: Cremation After Sunset
Patekar's final rites were conducted with full state honours at his farmhouse in Donje, Pune district, on Thursday. He was accorded a 3-gun salute. His surviving son Malhar Patekar, speaking to the media after the cremation, explained why the last rites were held after sunset. '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 said.
A Legacy That Will Endure
Nana Patekar was widely regarded as one of the most intense and versatile performers in Hindi and Marathi cinema, with a career spanning five decades. His death marks the passing of a towering talent whose work resonated far beyond the screen — as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan's tribute, crossing the worlds of classical music and cinema, underlines. Patekar is survived by his son Malhar, and his films remain a lasting record of his craft.
Point of View
Physically committed intensity to roles that most mainstream Bollywood avoided. The breadth of mourning, stretching from film circles to classical music's Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, signals how far his reputation transcended his industry. His passing also renews a recurring conversation about how India honours its senior artists: a 3-gun salute and state cremation are fitting, but the institutional infrastructure to preserve and study his body of work — particularly his Marathi-language contributions — remains underdeveloped.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Nana Patekar die?
Nana Patekar died on 8 October 2026 after suffering a cardiac arrest in Goa. He was taken to hospital, where doctors attempted CPR and resuscitation for approximately 45 minutes, but he was declared dead on arrival. He was 75 years old.
Where was Nana Patekar cremated?
Nana Patekar was cremated at his farmhouse in Donje, Pune district, on Thursday, 9 October 2026. He was given full state honours and a 3-gun salute. The cremation took place after sunset due to travel time from Goa and the time elapsed since his early-morning death.
Why was Nana Patekar's cremation held after sunset?
His son Malhar Patekar explained that bringing the mortal remains from Goa to the farmhouse in Pune took longer than anticipated, and because the actor had passed away early in the morning, a significant amount of time had already elapsed, making it inadvisable to delay the cremation further.
What did Ustad Amjad Ali Khan say about Nana Patekar?
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan described Patekar as 'a great artist' and said, 'I don't think anybody can replace him.' He noted that he had had the honour of meeting Patekar only once and had seen many of his films, calling his death 'a great loss for the film industry.'
Who is Malhar Patekar?
Malhar Patekar is Nana Patekar's surviving son. He spoke to the media following his father's cremation, providing details about the logistics of bringing the actor's mortal remains from Goa to Pune and the reasons for the after-sunset cremation.
