Nashik mourns the loss of a beloved son-in-law

Nashik: Veteran actor Nana Patekar’s sudden demise has plunged fans and admirers in India and abroad into mourning, but in Nashik, the loss is deeply personal. To many in the district, he was more than a celebrated performer — he was Nashik’s beloved son-in-law.In 1978, he married Neelakanti, whose family lived in the Mumbai Naka area. Her brother, writer Shrikant Haldule, was one of Patekar’s close friends. Over the years, his frequent visits earned him the affectionate reputation of Nashik’s beloved son-in-law, residents recalled.One of his last memorable visits to Nashik came at All India Farmers’ Literary Meet in Mohadi on March 4, 2024. Standing before a gathering of farmers, Patekar delivered the kind of blunt, unsparing speech that had become his trademark. Questioning the indifference towards agriculture, he asked why the prices of wheat and rice remained stagnant while gold continued to soar.“Farmers feed the nation, yet are forced to fight for their own survival,” he said, urging cultivators to rise above caste and religious divisions and build the political strength needed to shape governments, not merely vote for them.A local BJP office bearer who attended the event recalled another candid remark from Patekar. “Politics is not my cup of tea,” the actor had said, joking that political parties would throw him out the very next day because he could never stop speaking his mind.The residents also remembered his contribution to Marathi theatre. As president of 80th All India Marathi Natya Sammelan held in Nashik in 1997, Patekar used his position not to celebrate stars but to spotlight backstage technicians and theatre workers, the often-forgotten backbone of every cinematic production.His generosity resurfaced in Sept 2000, when organisers Prashant Junnare and Kailas Patil brought the play ‘Purush’ to Nashik. Starring Patekar and Ayesha Jhulka, the production was a major event, with tickets priced at Rs 1,000, an unusually high sum at the time. But before the curtain rose, Patekar announced that the entire surplus after expenses and artists’ fees would be donated to Baba Amte’s Anandwan, then facing financial challenges.Even after becoming a national icon, Patekar’s relationship with Nashik never faded. In 2016, during the release of ‘Natsamrat’, he visited Kusumagraj Pratishthan and was honoured with Godavari Gaurav Award by Madhu Mangesh Karnik.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Nashik | Silver Rate in Nashik | Bank Holidays in Nashik | Public Holidays in Nashik | Petrol Price in Nashik | Diesel Price in Nashik | CNG Price in Nashik | LPG Price in NashikStay updated with the latest Nashik news. Download the TOI App.