Nana Patekar, the man who once said he’d ‘die standing’, did so on Thursday — and the industry is still catching its breath. The 75-year-old actor, whose career spanned four decades and included defining roles in Parinda, Krantiveer, and Tiranga, passed away just days after speaking publicly about mortality at a Pune event. His final words, now hauntingly prescient, were not about legacy but about presence: ‘We must walk with purpose.’ He didn’t get to say them on screen again. Not even in the Marathi version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, where he was set to appear on the premiere episode hosted by Madhuri Dixit. That slot is now filled by Sonali Bendre. The shoot had been scheduled for this weekend. Now it’s a tribute. Madhuri shared her grief on Instagram: “A great artist, a powerful personality and an unforgettable voice.” They’d worked together in 1998’s Wajood. A reunion that never happened. Nana Patekar was cremated at his Donje farmhouse in Pune with full state honours. His son Malhar spoke afterward, calling his father ‘immortal’ through his work, and reaffirming his belief in a ‘righteous path on a global scale’. The family’s statement carried quiet weight. No drama, no demands. Just a promise to carry forward what Nana left behind. Lately, he’d kept working: Housefull 5, O’Romeo, a cameo in Subedar. Always playing the elder statesman, the moral compass. Even when he wasn’t on screen, he was. Now he’s gone. And the silence is louder than any roar.