Nana Patekar had kept firewood ready for his own funeral years in advance, says famous photographer. 'Wet wood makes people cry'

Nana Patekar, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 75, had apparently thought about even the practical details of his own funeral years before his death. Celebrity photographer Atul Kasbekar has recalled how the veteran actor once showed him a stack of firewood that he had kept ready for his own cremation, even adding a joke about why he wanted it to stay dry.

Kasbekar shared the memory in an Instagram post following Patekar’s death and described their relationship as warm despite not meeting frequently and recalled a visit to Patekar’s farm near Pune for a portrait session.

Nana Patekar kept firewood ready

According to Kasbekar, Patekar personally showed him around the property during the visit. Among the things the actor pointed out was a stack of firewood that he had apparently set aside for his own funeral.


Patekar's reason for keeping it dry was quite blunt. “He’d kept it dry, he explained, because wet wood smokes, and he didn’t want people crying at his funeral merely because the smoke got into their eyes!” Kasbekar wrote.

The photographer described the moment as an example of Patekar's “morbid humour” and said only the actor could turn a subject as serious as his own cremation into a joke.

Kasbekar had photographed Patekar for his exhibition HONEST: Portraits of Character, which he said was possibly among the actor’s last formal portrait sessions.

Kasbekar's post also offered a glimpse of Patekar away from film sets and cameras. He remembered visiting the actor's farm and being asked how many people were coming with him. The question, Kasbekar said, was not about managing the crew but about making sure everyone could have lunch.

He recalled that Patekar had personally served food to assistants, spot boys and drivers, including extra rotis and portions of his mutton. “No hierarchy. No fuss. Just extraordinary generosity from a man who could intimidate an entire film set with one raised eyebrow,” Kasbekar wrote.

He also remembered Patekar showing him his gym and casually doing a dozen tricep dips without warming up.

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A post shared by Atul Kasbekar (@atulkasbekar)

Kasbekar remembers Nana Patekar’s personality

Describing his relationship with the actor, Kasbekar said Patekar was “Unpredictable. Intense. Fiercely individualistic.”

He also recalled that Patekar was particularly proud that Kasbekar, a fellow Maharashtrian, had established himself in photography.

Kasbekar has shared the Instagram post after news of Patekar's death broke out on Thursday. As per reports, the actor was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, and was then taken to a private hospital.

Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, told ANI that doctors had attempted CPR on him for around 45 minutes but were not able to revive him. Following this, Patekar was then declared dead at around 5.10 am, with reports also stating the time at 5.20 am.

Nana Patekar's career across decades

Born Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951, Nana Patekar made his Hindi film debut with Gaman in 1978. He then went on to earn recognition for his films such as Salaam Bombay! and Parinda, with the latter bringing him a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.

His filmography included Krantiveer, Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical, Yeshwant, Ab Tak Chhappan, Apaharan, Raajneeti and Natsamrat. He also became popular with a younger generation through his iconic comic portrayal of Uday Shetty in the Welcome films.

Away from cinema, Patekar was also associated with social work and efforts involving farmers in Maharashtra.