Veteran actor had spoken about his own death years before it happened, revealing that he had already made preparations for his funeral. In a candid interview from September 2023, the actor discussed mortality in his trademark straightforward manner and even revealed that he had kept the wood required for his cremation.
During an interview with Aaj Tak while promoting The Vaccine War, Nana spoke about his belief that death was inevitable and that a person ultimately leaves everything behind. Rather than viewing death with fear, he described it as a natural part of life.
Nana Patekar had kept his cremation wood ready
Nana made a striking revelation when he said he had already kept aside the wood he would need after his death.
“Humko maloom hain hume 12 mann lakdi lagne vali hai. Yahi meri final property hai. Iske saath main chala chaunga [We know I will need 12 maunds of wood. That is my final property. I will leave with just that],” Nana said.
The actor’s words reflected his belief that material possessions have little meaning in the end. For him, the wood required for his cremation represented the only “property” he would ultimately take with him.
But Nana did not stop there. He had also thought about the kind of wood that should be used for his final rites.
“Maine apni 12 mann lakdiyan rakhi hui hain. Vo sukhi hain. Usi mein mujhe jalana. Gili lakdi mat istemaal karna [I have kept aside 12 maunds of wood. It is dry. Cremate me with that. Don’t use wet wood],” he said.
His dark humour about his own funeral
Nana then explained why he preferred dry wood, turning an otherwise sombre conversation into an unexpectedly humorous one.
“Phir aankh se paani ayega… aise mein marte waqt galatfehmi hogi ki mere liye ro rahe hain [Then tears will come to their eyes… At that moment, I might misunderstand and think they are crying for me],” he joked.
He added, “kam se kam marte waqt galatfehmi nahi honi chahiye [At least there shouldn’t be any misunderstanding when I’m dying].”
The remarks offered a glimpse into Nana’s unusual perspective on death — practical, philosophical and laced with humour.
Nana Patekar’s final hours
Nana Patekar died at his Goa residence on Thursday morning at the age of 75. He had reportedly complained of feeling unwell and experiencing pain on the left side of his chest around 2:30 am. He was taken to Manipal Hospital at around 4:20 am, where doctors attempted to revive him. He was declared dead at approximately 5:20 am.