Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Oct 08
National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Thursday mourned the death of actor Nana Patekar, remembering him as a close friend who devoted much of his life to helping poor and marginalised communities.
Abdullah described Patekar as a compassionate person who did not distinguish between people on religious grounds and sought to ease their hardships.
“He was a very good friend of mine and a very noble person. Throughout his life, he helped the poor,” Abdullah said.
He recalled that Patekar would stay in tribal villages, particularly in areas inhabited by disadvantaged communities, to understand their difficulties and help residents.
Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, also recalled taking the actor to remote parts of the Kashmir Valley.
He said he had taken Patekar from Kupwara by helicopter to Gurez and the Mushkoh Valley during a visit to the region. General Pathankar was the military commander at the time, Abdullah said.
The two also met during Patekar’s visits to Kashmir, including at a wedding in Srinagar where Abdullah recalled dancing with the actor.
“He had gentleness in him. He never looked at religion; he looked at what a person’s sorrows are, what his pain is, and tried to remove that pain as much as he could,” Abdullah said.
The former Union minister expressed condolences on behalf of himself and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, saying Patekar’s work for the disadvantaged would not be forgotten.
Abdullah said the actor had recently completed his final film shoot in Goa. He added that death was inevitable and that Patekar had done as much as he could during his lifetime to help others.
“No one can forget it,” he said.
