Mumbai, Feb. 12 -- Veteran actor Nana Patekar on Thursday expressed deep sorrow over the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, calling him his "best friend" and "like a younger brother."

Speaking to ANI, Patekar said he has known Ajit Pawar since his teenage years. "We are saddened by it (the demise of Ajit Pawar)... I knew him since he was 19-20 years old and had started working as a party worker," the actor said, adding, "I will always miss him. He was my best friend. He was like a younger brother to me."

Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on January 28 in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), five people, including the crew, were killed when the chartered Learjet ...