Nana Patekar Dies At 75

Patekar was found unconscious at his home in Dona Paula, Goa, and was rushed to Manipal Hospital where doctors tried to revive him for almost 45 minutes. The filmmaker was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), an emergency procedure that is performed when someone’s heartbeat or breathing stops.

Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Chief of Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, said, “He was in unresponsive state when the medical team was called at home. The team found him in an unconscious state and he gave CPR for almost 45 minutes to 1 hour. He was declared dead at 5:20 am.”

The Maharashtra government announced a full state funeral in recognition of his monumental contributions to Hindi and Marathi cinema. The final rites were performed with full state honours at his farmhouse in Donje village in Pune. Donje village is home to Nana Patekar's personal farmhouse. According to family and representatives, it was the veteran actor’s last wish that his final rites be performed on his farm grounds in Donje.

His death’s news sent shockwaves through the Indian film industry and beyond with actors, filmmakers, politicians and cricketers taking to social media to pay tribute to a man whose voice, intensity and screen presence defined an era of Hindi and Marathi cinema.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned the loss of veteran actor Nana Patekar and extended condolences to his family, friends and admirers.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi remembered Patekar for his versatility, creativity and unforgettable characters. He also lauded the actor’s outspoken nature.

“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.”

Recognising Patekar’s contributions to Hindi and Marathi cinema, PM Modi said the actor’s death had left a deep void.

“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,” he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also mourned the loss, “Nana was as great-hearted as he was great on screen. He gave Marathi and Hindi cinema an entire era. From Krantiveer to Natsamrat, there is no parallel to the powerful and accomplished range of his acting. His death is a great loss to the film industry,” He also recalled Patekar’s work with the Naam Foundation and his contribution to farmers and drought-hit communities.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also remembered him calling him a great soul and said, “The work he did in the rural areas of Maharashtra in the fields of water conservation and watershed management through the ‘Naam Foundation’ is significant. The helping hand he extended to the families of farmers who committed suicide became a support for many families. Nana was not only an excellent artist-actor but also a personality sensitive towards society. May God grant peace to the departed soul.”

Patekar was a recipient of three National Film Awards, several Filmfare Awards, the Maharashtra State Film Award and Filmfare Awards Marathi. He had also received Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian honour.

Born on January 1, 1951, as Vishawanath Patekar in Murud of Maharashtra’s Raigad district, he studied at Mumbai’s Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art. He was known for his intensity, dialogue delivery and ability to portray complex and unconventional characters.

Before making his debut in films, Patekar was involved in theatre. His first stage role came under director Vijaya Mehta. Purush and Hamidabaichi Kothi were two of his most famous plays. Despite being successful in films, he remained active in theatre throughout his professional life.

He made his film debut in ‘Gaman’ in 1978 and acted in several of India’s art-house movies in the 1970’s and 80’s, including Mira Nair’s award-winning ‘Salaam Bombay’ ‌before ⁠moving to mainstream Bollywood.

His breakthrough came with ‘Parinda’ (1989), in which he played a crime lord. The role brought him an Indian National Film Award for best supporting actor and the Filmfare award in the same category. Patekar also directed ‘Prahaar: The Final Attack’ (1991), starring alongside Madhuri Dixit, and went through army training to prepare for his officer role.

‘Krantiveer’ (1994), in which he played a disgraced gambler who ends up rallying ordinary people to fight back, won him the Indian National Film Award for best actor along with Filmfare and Screen awards. A second National Award for supporting actor followed for ‘Agni Sakshi’ (1996).

In Marathi cinema, he won Filmfare Marathi best actor awards for ‘Dr. Prakash Baba Amte – The Real Hero’ (2014) and ‘Natsamrat’ (2016), in which he starred as an aging theater veteran. He was the Hindi voice of Shere Khan in ‘The Jungle Book’ (2016) and appeared opposite Rajinikanth in the Tamil film ‘Kaala’ (2018).

Patekar was also known for his activism. In 2015, he and actor Makarand Anaspure established the Naam Foundation, which helped farmers and villagers in drought-prone areas in Maharashtra. Their work also focused on water conservation, preventing farmer suicides, and supporting the education of farmers' children.

Patekar is survived by his wife, from whom he was separated, and a son.