Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 8 (ANI): Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has paid an emotional tribute to veteran actor Nana Patekar, who passed away at the age of 75 on Thursday morning following a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa.
In an X post, Shah Rukh shared an old picture of himself with Nana Patekar and remembered the late actor as his "mentor, teacher, critic and friend."
Recalling their first meeting, SRK wrote that he was so awestruck and awkward that he began fiddling with his hair, prompting Nana to slap his hand away and tell him, “hero ki tarah Baal mat bana...tu actor hai”.
When I first met him, out of awe and awkwardness I fiddled with my hair. He slapped my hand away and said 'hero ki tarah Baal mat bana...tu actor hai'! He didn't flatter you. He didn't tell you what you wanted to hear. He told you what you needed to hear. That was Nana. Straightforward. Rough, honest and had the most beautiful smile. He always had a strange way of showing affection. He would shout at you first, and then somewhere between the third or fourth insult, you realised you were being hugged. He loved me and I loved him back. He was a mentor, a teacher, a critic and a friend who beat me and everyone else around him in carrom game after game and relished his victories. Nana your intensity, laughter , madness and love will always stay with us. I just wish we had time to have more conversations, another argument, another cup of tea and a game of carrom. You have left a void not only in the world of cinema but in the hearts of all Indians and the world. All I can say is, I will miss you dearly and carry your words in my heart till the end of time....'hero banne ke chakar mein actor mat khona' May your soul rest in peace Nana and Allah bless you. The Heavens will be blessed to have you... a masterful actor and an unbeatable carrom champion. Love you and miss you dearly!! Too soon my Hero Actor! RIP.
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) October 8, 2026
"When I first met him, out of awe and awkwardness I fiddled with my hair. He slapped my hand away and said 'hero ki tarah Baal mat bana...tu actor hai'! He didn't flatter you. He didn't tell you what you wanted to hear. He told you what you needed to hear. That was Nana. Straightforward. Rough, honest and had the most beautiful smile. He always had a strange way of showing affection. He would shout at you first, and then somewhere between the third or fourth insult, you realised you were being hugged. He loved me and I loved him back. He was a mentor, a teacher, a critic and a friend who beat me and everyone else around him in carrom game after game and relished his victories," he wrote.
SRK expressed regret that they did not have more time together. He wished they could have shared more conversations, arguments, cups of tea and games of carrom.
Shah Rukh also recalled one of Nana's lessons that stayed with him: “hero banne ke chakar mein actor mat khona” - a reminder to never lose the actor while chasing the image of a hero.
"Nana your intensity, laughter, madness and love will always stay with us. I just wish we had time to have more conversations, another argument, another cup of tea and a game of carrom. You have left a void not only in the world of cinema but in the hearts of all Indians and the world. All I can say is, I will miss you dearly and carry your words in my heart till the end of time....'hero banne ke chakar mein actor mat khona'", he added.
Ending his tribute on an affectionate note, Shah Rukh wrote, "May your soul rest in peace Nana and Allah bless you. The Heavens will be blessed to have you... a masterful actor and an unbeatable carrom champion. Love you and miss you dearly!! Too soon my Hero Actor! RIP,” signing off with love and saying he would carry the veteran actor's words in his heart forever.
Patekar's death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the film industry.
Nana Patekar died after suffering a severe cardiac arrest. He was taken to Manipal Hospital, where doctors tried to revive him for around 45 minutes. Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, confirmed the news to ANI.
Patekar’s final rites will be held on Thursday. He will be accorded a state funeral in recognition of his immense contribution to Indian cinema. (ANI)
