Mumbai, October 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Celebrity photographer Atul Kasbekar remembered veteran actor Nana Patekar following his death on October 8, recalling their warm relationship and sharing a deeply personal anecdote about the actor’s trademark dark humour.
Kasbekar revealed that Patekar had once shown him a stack of firewood that he had kept ready for his own funeral. According to Kasbekar, the actor joked that he did not want people crying at his funeral merely because smoke from wet wood had got into their eyes.
Sharing his memories on social media, Kasbekar described Patekar as an unpredictable, intense and fiercely individualistic personality who could command an entire room.
Kasbekar recalled that although they did not meet frequently, their meetings always felt as though they had seen each other the previous day. He also remembered Patekar’s pride in Kasbekar’s achievements as a fellow Maharashtrian in photography.
One of Kasbekar’s most cherished memories was photographing Patekar for his exhibition HONEST: Portraits of Character, which he described as possibly among the actor’s final formal portrait sessions. Patekar had insisted that the shoot take place at his farm near Pune.
Kasbekar recalled that Patekar’s first concern was how many people were coming, not because he was worried about the size of the crew but because he wanted everyone to be served lunch.
He remembered every assistant, spot boy and driver being seated in the main dining area, with Patekar personally serving extra rotis and portions of his famous mutton.
Kasbekar also recalled Patekar showing him around his property, including his gym, where the actor effortlessly performed a dozen tricep dips without a warm-up.
The photographer said the actor then showed him the stack of firewood he had prepared for his own cremation, explaining that he had kept it dry because wet wood produced smoke.
Kasbekar said Patekar’s joke about not wanting mourners to cry because of the smoke was typical of his “spectacularly morbid humour”.
Remembering the actor’s generosity beneath his formidable screen and film-set presence, Kasbekar described him as “a phenomenal actor” and “the voice of a generation”, adding that his death felt deeply personal.
He also offered condolences to Patekar’s loved ones, including Malhar and Neelu.
Earlier, Kasbekar had shared a video of Patekar working out in April 2026, which resurfaced following the actor’s death. In the video, Patekar is seen wearing a white vest and shorts with a gamcha around his neck while performing tricep dips. Kasbekar had praised his fitness and described him as a “legend”.
Patekar died on October 8, 2026, at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. He was taken to Manipal Hospital, where doctors reportedly attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes before he was declared dead at approximately 5:20 a.m.Nana Patekar
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