Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has postponed his scheduled appearance at an event following the death of veteran actor Nana Patekar. Salman was expected to attend the event in Mumbai’s Bandra on Thursday, October 8. The organisers subsequently announced that the event had been postponed as a mark of respect to the late actor.
Salman was scheduled to attend an event hosted by GB Realty, led by Chairman and Managing Director Gurinder Bhatti. The event was slated to take place from 6 pm onwards at Taj Lands End in Bandra, Mumbai.
According to Moneycontrol, the organisers issued an official statement announcing the postponement. The statement read, “Keeping in mind the unfortunate and sudden demise of actor Nana Patekar, today’s Salman Khan event has been postponed as a mark of respect.”
Salman and Nana shared the screen only once in their careers, in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 1996 directorial debut Khamoshi: The Musical, which also starred Manisha Koirala. While the two actors did not collaborate again in a released film, they came close to reuniting for Wanted, with Nana reportedly offered the role of Gani Bhai, which eventually went to Prakash Raj due to his busy schedule. Nana was also reportedly approached for other projects involving Salman, although none materialised. Following Nana’s death at the age of 75 on October 8, Salman has not issued a direct public statement on his demise so far.
Veteran actor Nana Patekar died at 75 on Thursday, October 8, after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. He was rushed to Manipal Hospital after being found unconscious in the early hours, but doctors could not revive him and he was declared dead at around 5:20 am. His mortal remains were taken to Goa Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem formalities and are now being transported to Pune. The last rites are scheduled to be held at his Donje farmhouse, with the Maharashtra government according him a state funeral. The mortal remains are expected to reach Pune around 6 pm, while the final rites are likely to reportedly take place between 9 and 10 pm.
The news of Patekar’s sudden demise has left the film fraternity mourning the loss of one of Indian cinema’s most powerful performers. Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Manoj Bajpayee, Urmila Matondkar, Kangana Ranaut, Mithun Chakraborty and several other celebrities paid heartfelt tributes to the late actor. Shah Rukh remembered Patekar as a mentor, critic and friend, while Akshay hailed his unmatched screen presence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed grief, remembering Patekar not just for his acting legacy but also for his social work.
