Mumbai: Veteran stage and Bollywood actor Nana Patekar (Vishwanath Patekar), 75, died following a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa early Thursday morning, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy in Indian cinema.
He suffered severe chest pain at his home, following which a medical team was dispatched to his flat. He was found unconscious on arrival and was administered cardiac massage at the spot before being rushed to Manipal Hospital at Dona Paula, Goa.
Doctors continued attempts to restore his heartbeat for 45 minutes, but the actor remained in asystole throughout the resuscitation. “Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived. A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem will be conducted,” Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, said, adding that he was declared dead by the hospital medical team at 5:20 am. Later, his mortal remains were taken to Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) for a post-mortem examination.
Nana, born on January 1, 1951, at Murud-Janjira in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, studied at the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art in Mumbai. After making his acting debut with the 1978 drama “Gaman”, he initially acted in a few Marathi films and some Bollywood films. He achieved his breakthrough playing a gangster in “Parinda” (1989), for which he won the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.
A three-time National Award winner, Nana was one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated performers. He worked in nearly 80 films, including Hindi and Marathi films, as well as a few Kannada and Tamil films.
He was known for his powerful screen presence, intense performances and iconic roles in films such as “Parinda”, “Krantiveer”, “Prahaar”, “Agnisakshi”, “Ab Tak Chhappan”, “Welcome”, “The Vaccine War” and “Natsamrat”. He had also acted in a couple of television serials. “Shakti Shalini” and “Eetha” were listed among his upcoming movies.
Nana was married to Neelakanti, who was also associated with the film industry. The couple had a son, Malhar Patekar.
Neelakanti had her own acting career and received the Maharashtra Government’s Best Actress award for the Marathi film “Aatmvishwas” in 1989. However, Nana and Neelakanti had been living separately for many years, although they were not legally divorced.
Nana had paused his acting career to serve in the Kargil War in 1999 after receiving special permission from the then Defence Minister, late George Fernandes. The actor was part of the Territorial Army and often raised funds for veterans and their families. He was also running a voluntary organisation, Nam Foundation, to make water available in certain drought-stricken districts of Maharashtra.
He had a flat at Swami Samarth Nagar in Andheri West, Mumbai, a 27-acre farmhouse in Donaje village, Khadakwasla, near Pune, and a contemporary house in Goa.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his condolence message, said, “Few actors possessed the intensity, individuality and unmistakable presence that Shri Nana Patekar Ji had. He brought remarkable versatility and creativity to every role and gave us characters that will be remembered for generations.
He was also admired for his frank and forthright views, never hesitating to express what he believed in. Shri Nana Patekar’s contribution to Hindi and Marathi cinema was immense. His passing leaves a deep void. My condolences to his family, friends and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” the Prime Minister wrote in a post on X.
As tributes began pouring in, actors Anupam Kher and Riteish Deshmukh remembered Nana not only for his extraordinary range on screen but also for the person he was away from the cameras. Akshay Kumar, Jr NTR, Nimrat Kaur, Ravi Kishan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Ram Gopal Varma and other celebrities also paid tribute to the veteran actor.
While Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant condoled his demise, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar announced that, in view of actor Nana Patekar’s unparalleled contribution…
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