Nana Patekar’s son Malhar hits back at speculation about parents’ separation. He reveals what kept them close

Veteran actor Nana Patekar’s family life has come under public attention following his death at the age of 75 on October 8, 2026, at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. His estranged wife, Neelkanthi Patekar, attended his funeral, which led to online discussion about their relationship. The couple had reportedly lived separately for around 35 years but never legally divorced. Now, their son Malhar Patekar has opened up about his parents’ bond, saying their emotional connection remained strong despite living apart.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Malhar also recalled his father’s final hours and responded to speculation about the family. He said his parents’ resilience helped him cope with the loss and criticised assumptions made about their relationship based on their social media presence. According to Malhar, the family remained close, and Nana was never left without support from his loved ones.

Nana Patekar and Neelkanthi’s relationship: What their son said

Nana Patekar and Neelkanthi married in 1978 and had two sons, Durvasa and Malhar. Durvasa died during childhood. Although Nana and Neelkanthi reportedly lived separately for decades, they did not legally end their marriage.




Their relationship drew attention again when Neelkanthi attended Nana’s funeral. Addressing the discussion around his parents, Malhar said, "When growing up as a kid, I imbibed a lot of strength and resilience from my parents. Also, whatever it looks like from the outside to people doesn’t matter to me; in reality, we as a family were strongly and emotionally connected even my uncle and cousins, for that matter. Mujhe sab ka pyar mila hamesha and that matters.”

The filmmaker also pushed back against the idea that a lack of family photographs on Instagram meant that relatives were not close. He said, "Itna sab kuch viral ho raha, woh kitna ghalat hai. Just because we don’t share family pics on Insta, that doesn’t mean we don’t bond. Even after parting ways, my parents were on a good note; 38-39 saal ka bond tha, and things are never what they might look like…"

According to Malhar, his parents remained on good terms even after they began living separately. He suggested that their long association could not be reduced to assumptions about their relationship made by people who did not know the family personally.

Malhar Patekar recalls Nana Patekar’s final hours

In the same interview with Hindustan Times, Malhar spoke about the circumstances surrounding his father’s final hours in Goa.

He said his father was in Goa when his cousin Prasad, who helped handle Nana’s entertainment-related meetings, travelled to Mumbai. Nana was scheduled to shoot for KBC Marathi with Madhuri Dixit the following day, Malhar explained.



His account also addressed speculation about whether Nana had been alone or unwell in his final days. Malhar said, "The things I read usska jawab yeh hain ke woh akele nahi thhe, kabhi nahin thhe, nor was he unwell because we all never left his side; one of us was always with him. He was very active and doing two and a half hours of working out in a gym; youngsters nahin kar pate, that was his level of fitness.”

He disputed suggestions that Nana had been isolated from his loved ones, emphasising that family members continued to be present in his life.

By speaking about his parents’ relationship and his father’s final days, Malhar shared a personal perspective on a family story that has attracted public curiosity for years.