Nana Patekar's son Malhar explains why actor's last rites were held late at night

Actor Nana Patekar’s last rites were held late Thursday night at his farmhouse in Donje village near Pune’s Khadakwasla. Addressing questions about the timing of the cremation, Nana’s son Malhar Patekar politely explained that the family had decided to proceed with the last rites as considerable time had already passed since the actor’s death early that morning.When the media asked Malhar about the timing of the cremation, given that several film stars still wished to pay their last respects to the actor, he explained the family’s decision and said, “Aisa nahi hai ki itni raat ko kyun kiya, kal kyun nahi kiya. Hame laga kyunki aaj subha subha ye hadsa hua toh already samay kaafi beet chuka tha isliye humne socha ki aaj hi karengey.” (It isn't about why it was done so late at night and not tomorrow. We felt that since the tragedy occurred early this morning, considerable time had already passed, so we decided to do it today itself.)Nana was cremated with full state honours on Thursday at his farmhouse. The actor died at the age of 75 at his residence in Goa in the early hours of Thursday.Celebrities like Jackie Shroff, Pravin Tarde, Sajid Nadiadwala and Anil Sharma were among those present at the funeral along with other dignitaries including Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Former Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Women's Commission Roopali Chakankar, Minister of Higher and Technical Education of Maharashtra Chandrakant Patil and Bhai Jagtap, among others. Patekar’s death brings the curtain down on a career spanning nearly five decades. He began his journey in Marathi theatre before making his film debut with Gaman in 1978. Over the years, he carved a niche for himself with performances that ranged from intense and vulnerable to menacing and volatile, with an unexpected flair for comedy.Films such as Parinda, Prahaar: The Final Attack, Krantiveer, Khamoshi: The Musical, Wajood, Ab Tak Chhappan, Apaharan and Natsamrat cemented his reputation as one of Indian cinema’s most accomplished performers. Then came Uday Shetty in Welcome (2007), a role that revealed a delightfully different side of Patekar. His impeccable comic timing and effortless chemistry with Anil Kapoor’s Majnu Bhai turned the gangster into one of Bollywood’s most memorable comic characters. Patekar reprised the role in Welcome Back in 2015.He continued to work across Hindi and Marathi cinema in his later years, appearing in films such as The Vaccine War, Vanvaas, Housefull 5 and O’Romeo. His contribution to cinema earned him three National Film Awards, several Filmfare honours and the Padma Shri.- Ends