‘He called every week’: Former Pakistan cricketer reveals how Nana Patekar stood by his mother during illness

Veteran actor Nana Patekar’s death has sent a wave of grief beyond India and members of the Pakistani cricket fraternity have also paid tributes to the celebrated artist. Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali shared an emotional account of his long-time friendship with the actor, recalling how Patekar stayed in touch with him and supported his family during difficult times.Patekar died at the age of 75 on October 8 after suffering a massive cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. He was found unconscious and taken to Manipal Hospital where doctors tried to revive him with continuous CPR. However, their efforts were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead.As news of his death spread, Pakistani cricketer Umar Akmal remembered the actor in a post on social media, while Basit shared a video reflecting a personal connection that began in 1994 and continued for decades.Recalling when he first heard of Patekar’s death, Basit spoke of the affection he had for the actor and how their bond has endured over the years.“Early in the morning I heard the sad news. Our very dear brother, friend and living legend is no more in this world – Nana Patekar Sahab has passed away. What a person he was; he acted in films exactly as he was in real life. We nicknamed Latifa as ‘Nana’. Because of Nana Patekar, we first said each other in 1994 and that’s where it all started. Basit.The former cricketer then recalled how Patekar would call regularly to check on his family, especially when his mother was hospitalized. According to Basit, the actor continued to provide emotional support after her death and later inquired about his health when he suffered heart problems.“Now there are so many memories. We used to talk once or twice a month. When my mother was alive and in the hospital, Nana Ji called every week. He prayed many times, talked to my mother for a long time and listened to old stories. When my mother died, he told me: ‘Hi Basit, take care of yourself now’. And when I had a heart problem and came home, I called him when I called him, when I asked if he was he asked how everything was going, including the placement of the stent,” he added.Basit also recalled the casual conversations they shared about Patekar’s films and said the actor’s off-camera personality was similar to what audiences saw on screen. According to him, their exchanges were characterized by intimacy, warmth and humor.“He was such an amazing person. To people who only knew him from movies, he was the same person in real life. People praised him and we were lucky enough to have many conversations. Sometimes we would ask him about a particular scene in the movie and he would playfully say, ‘Shut up, what do you know?’. The love and affection he gave as an elder was truly incredible.It was particularly difficult for Basit to accept the news of Patekar’s death. He recalled that he often referred to the actor as a “young man” because he did not look 75, with Patekar jokingly replying that they were both getting old.“I still can’t believe the news. The man didn’t look 75 years old. I always called him ‘young man’ and he replied, ‘Forget it, you and I are old now’. It’s deeply painful. And I will say one thing here: Nana Ji had as many admirers in Pakistan as in India and all over the world. People loved him very much,” his video concluded.

A career spanning almost five decades

Patekar was one of the most recognizable names in Hindi and Marathi and built a career that spanned nearly five decades. He made his Hindi debut with the 1978 film ‘Gaman’ before earning widespread acclaim for his performances in a number of critically acclaimed and popular films.A defining moment came with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Parinda in 1989, in which his portrayal of ruthless crime boss Anna won him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. His filmography also included ‘Prahar’, ‘Angaar’, ‘Krantiveer’, ‘Tiranga’, ‘Khamoshi’ and ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’ among others.His contribution to cinema was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in 2013. Apart from films, Patekar has also been associated with social initiatives, particularly efforts to support drought-affected farmers and families in Maharashtra.The seasoned actor has been busy with films in recent years. He was a part of ‘Housefull 5’ which featured Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan and Riteish Deshmukh among others. He also played a cop in Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘O’Romeo’ starring Shahid Kapoor and Tripti Dimri and had a cameo in ‘Subedar’ with Anil Kapoor and Radhika Madan.