The 2026 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was a routine 174‑passenger trip until the co‑pilot allegedly tried to sabotage it. Israeli officials say the co‑pilot stabbed the captain mid‑air in a sudden burst of violence that left the cockpit a blood‑stained scene. The captain fought back, managed to open the cockpit door, and with help from two passenger‑pilots, landed safely.
The incident sent shock waves through the aviation community, but it also lit a flame in the Bollywood corridors. Paresh Rawal, who has long been a fellow veteran, took to Twitter to recall Nana Patekar's punchy line from 1997, playing on the word 'Machchhar' which is the co‑pilot's surname. Rawal’s tweet read, 'Remembering NANA PATEKAR’S FAMOUS DIALOGUE: Ek Machhhar Aadmiko…!'.
The line, from the film Yeshwant, still echoes in fans’ minds: 'Ek machchhar, saala ek machchhar insaan ko aadmi se hijda bana deta hai…'. It’s the kind of dialogue that turns a scene into a cultural meme, and the incident made it go viral again, sparking memes and shout‑outs across social media.
Meanwhile, in Goa, Nana Patekar’s body lay in state and the film fraternity mourned his loss. The veteran, who had battled a cardiac arrest for 45 minutes, was declared dead at 5:20 am on October 8, 2026. His funeral will gather thousands, a testament to his impact on Indian theatre and cinema.
Patekar’s career spanned three National Film Awards and classics like Parinda, Ab Tak Chhappan, and Natsamrat. His intense performances and razor‑sharp dialogues have left an indelible mark. Fans and critics alike will remember him not just for the roles he played, but for the way he made every line feel like a punch‑line.