Marathi filmmaker Pravin Tarde has expressed disappointment over the absence of several Bollywood celebrities from veteran actor Nana Patekar’s funeral.
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Speaking on ABP Majha’s programme Coffee with Kaushik, Tarde said that those who considered Patekar their friend should have attended his last rites.
However, he maintained that the absence of film industry personalities did not take away from the actor’s stature.
Nana Patekar died in Goa on October 8 following a severe heart attack. His mortal remains were taken to his native village of Donje, near Pune, where his last rites were performed on his own farm. Several political figures, celebrities and other prominent personalities attended the funeral, while the limited presence of Bollywood actors sparked discussions.
Pravin Tarde Says Bollywood Is Not Bigger Than Nana Patekar
Pravin Tarde spoke about the respect Nana Patekar commanded beyond the film industry. He highlighted the presence of farmers at the funeral and said their attendance reflected the actor’s connection with ordinary people.
Pravin Tarde said, “The fact that Bollywood people did not attend the funeral does not diminish Nana’s greatness. Bollywood is not bigger than Nana. Nana was a very great man. A few thousand farmers attended Nana’s funeral procession. They smelled of sweat and soil. That farmer is more important than anyone in Bollywood wearing perfume.”
The filmmaker also spoke about Patekar’s identity as a farmer, saying that the actor did not define himself solely through his work in cinema.
“In my opinion, a farmer who came from Dhule is much greater than Bollywood heroes. It makes no difference to us. When did Nana ever say that he belonged to Bollywood? Nana always used to say that he was a farmer,” Tarde said.
Pravin Tarde Says Nana Patekar’s Friends Should Have Attended Funeral
While Tarde maintained that the absence of Bollywood celebrities did not diminish Patekar’s greatness, he admitted that he expected more people from the industry to attend the funeral, particularly those who shared a close bond with the late actor.
Pravin Tarde said, “If you ask whether I have a complaint, then yes, I do. Bollywood people should have attended the funeral. At the very least, those whom Nana called his friends should have been there. Jackie Shroff and Suresh Wadkar attended.”
He further questioned the difference in the industry’s response to the deaths of lesser-known actors and an established performer such as Patekar.
“When a small-time actor dies in Mumbai, people line up wearing white clothes. But when it came to Nana… Anyway, the farmers were there, and we were there too,” Tarde added.
Celebrities Who Attended Nana Patekar’s Funeral
Jackie Shroff, Anees Bazmee, Mehul Kumar, Sajid Nadiadwala, actors Makarand Anaspure and Prasad Oak, singer Rahul Deshpande, and singer Suresh Wadkar were among those who paid their last respects.
Beyond his career in films, Patekar was known for his association with rural communities and farmers in Maharashtra.
