The death of Nana Patekar drew attention to the limited presence of Bollywood figures at his funeral in Pune, with Marathi actor-director Pravin Tarde publicly raising the matter of the industry's thin representation at the ceremony. Speaking on the television programme Coffee with Kaushik, Tarde conveyed a sense of disappointment over the relatively low turnout of Bollywood figures at the funeral.
Those who counted themselves among the late actor's friends, Tarde argued, had an obligation to attend and offer a final farewell. Tarde noted that, when asked whether any complaint existed on their part, the answer was yes. No attendance by figures from the Hindi film industry at the funeral was recorded, and people Patekar had regarded as friends were notably absent from the gathering.
Among those who paid their respects at the ceremony were Jackie Shroff, Prasad Oak, Makarand Anaspure, singers Suresh Wadkar and Rahul Deshpande, filmmaker Anees Bazmee, director Mehul Kumar, and producer Sajid Nadiadwala. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also attended the funeral.
Tarde also drew attention to the group of farmers who had gathered to see Patekar off. According to his account, thousands of agricultural workers attended the procession, a turnout that pointed to the actor's broad appeal beyond the film industry.
Tarde argued that the absence of Bollywood figures from the funeral proceedings in no way diminishes the legacy Patekar left behind. Certain voices within the industry have put forward the view that Patekar's body of work outpaces what Bollywood collectively has delivered, though that assessment remains a matter of debate. Those who crossed paths with Patekar, Tarde noted, tended to speak of him with genuine admiration.
Thousands of agricultural workers lined the route of Patekar's funeral procession. During remarks at the event, one speaker put forward the personal opinion that a farmer making the journey from Dhule deserves more respect than any figure from the Bollywood film industry. Tarde also noted that Patekar had never put forward any claim that Bollywood represented his home, adding that the actor's grandmother had always described the family's background as rooted in farming.
Tarde drew attention to Patekar's roots as a farmer, pointing out that the actor's sense of identity extended well beyond his work in film, with agriculture and the people who worked the land forming a central thread of his background. Tarde also noted that the situation involving Patekar remained unresolved, though both the farmers and his own group had been present at the funeral.
Cardiac arrest claimed the life of Nana Patekar in Goa on 8 October 2026, at the age of 75. A procession carried his body to the family's farmhouse in Donje village, located within Pune district of Maharashtra, where funeral observances took place under full state honours.
Patekar's screen career spanned both Hindi and Marathi productions, with roles across titles including Parinda, Krantiveer, Ab Tak Chhappan, Agni Sakshi, Raajneeti, Welcome, and O'Romeo drawing wide recognition over the course of his working life. Alongside his film career, he channelled his energy toward agricultural communities through the Naam Foundation.
