Mrunmayee Deshpande, Medha Manjrekar mourn the loss of their ‘Natsamrat’ Nana Patekar

Mumbai, Oct 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75 on October 8, 2026, after suffering a cardiac arrest in Goa.

His death has led to a wave of sorrow amongst his fans across the nation, including the entertainment industry as well.

Social media saw an outpour of tributes from colleagues and co-stars as soon as the news of his demise was out.

Among those remembering the veteran actor were Marathi stars Mrunmayee Deshpande, who shared an emotional tribute in Marathi, and Medha Manjrekar, Nana's co-star in Natsamrat, who remembered his warmth and the personal bond they shared.

Mrunmayee Deshpande, who essayed the role of his daughter in the cult classic movie, Natsamrat, shared a heartfelt note on her social media account, saying, “I don't know what to say... I have just received the news that Nana Kaka is no more... The other day, I had received his call. ‘How are you? You're doing good work, aren't you?’ — he asked me in his usual style...In Natsamrat, he played the role of a father, and he didn't just play that role for me, but for many people, he continued to live that role off-screen as well…”

She added, “Nana Kaka, in real life, you were a storm... How did you leave so peacefully? I just cannot believe it… A person leaves, but the actor remains; and you were, after all, the Natsamrat!”

Medha Manjrekar, who also worked with Nana in Natsamrat, shared an emotional note recalling not just his extraordinary acting but also the care he showed her personally.

She wrote, “He was our Nana. I had the privilege of working with him in Natsamrat, and being around him was an experience I will always carry with me. Watching Nana perform was not just watching an actor. You learnt something about the craft, about life, and about people. But what I will remember most is not the great actor Nana Patekar. It is the man I knew.”

She recalled, “He used to call me ‘Sarkaar.’.Every time he called, he would say, ‘Sarkaar, kasha aahat?’ — How are you? And it was never just a formality. He genuinely wanted to know. Even in my cancer journey .. Nana would call and check on me. He had this beautiful way of showing that he cared without making a big thing out of it. His last call to me was just about 20 days back .. And again, the first thing he said was, ‘Sarkaar, kasha aahat?’ I had no idea then that I was hearing those words for the last time …”

She added, “People will remember Nana as the Natasamrat—the extraordinary actor, the voice, the intensity, the honesty he brought to every character..I will remember all of that too. But I will also remember the man who picked up the phone and asked me, simply and lovingly, ‘Sarkaar, kasha aahat?’”

An emotional Medha then wrote, Nana, you gave me memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life ... You will always remain our Natasamrat. Om Shanti.””

For the uninitiated, talking about Natsamrat, the movie released in 2016, was a Marathi drama film directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, based on the acclaimed play of the same name by playwright and poet V. V. Shirwadkar (Kusumagraj).

Released on January 1, 2016, the film starred Nana Patekar as Ganpat Ramchandra Belwalkar, a celebrated stage actor known as Natsamrat, with Medha Manjrekar as his wife Kaveri, Vikram Gokhale as Rambhau, Mrunmayee Deshpande as their daughter Vidya, Ajit Parab as son Makarand, Neha Pendse as daughter-in-law Neha, and Sunil Barve as Vidya's husband.

The story follows Ganpatrao after retirement as he gives away his wealth to his children but gradually faces neglect and humiliation from them, leading to a deeply moving portrait of ageing, family and the loss of an actor's identity.

For the uninitiated, Nana Patekar passed away on October 8, 2026, at the age of 75, after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. He was declared dead at 5:20 am after doctors attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes.

–IANS

rd/

Source: IANS