Veteran actor Nana Patekar, one of the most distinctive performers in Hindi and Marathi cinema, died in Goa on Thursday, October 8. He was 75.
Patekar was found unresponsive at his residence in Dona Paula after experiencing severe chest discomfort in the early hours of the morning. He was taken to Manipal Hospital, where doctors made prolonged efforts to revive him before declaring him dead at around 5:20 am. Initial reports attributed his death to cardiac arrest.
His son, Malhar Patekar, confirmed the actor’s death.
Doctors Tried to Revive Him for Nearly 45 Minutes
Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Department of Oncology at Manipal Hospital, said Patekar was brought to the hospital in an unresponsive condition.
According to the doctor, medical teams performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for around 45 minutes, but he could not be revived.
Patekar had reportedly sent a message to a friend at around 2:30 am saying that he was not feeling well and was experiencing discomfort on the left side of his chest.
When the friend later reached the actor’s residence, Patekar was sweating and gradually losing consciousness. An emergency team was called and resuscitation efforts began before he was shifted to the hospital.
Post-Mortem to Be Conducted
Since Patekar was not a registered patient undergoing treatment at the hospital and had been brought in unresponsive, the death was treated as a medico-legal case.
Authorities informed the police as part of the procedure, and his body was sent for a post-mortem examination before being handed over to the family.
The post-mortem is expected to formally establish the medical cause of death.
From Sir J.J. School of Art to the Big Screen
Born Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951, Nana Patekar studied at Mumbai’s Sir J.J. School of Art before establishing himself in theatre and cinema.
He made his Hindi film debut with Gaman in 1978 and gradually built a reputation through films including Aaj Ki Awaaz, Pratighaat, Mohre and Trishagni.
His breakthrough came with Ankush in 1986, but it was Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Parinda (1989) that firmly established him as one of the country’s most powerful character actors.
His portrayal of gangster Anna in Parinda earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Krantiveer Became One of His Defining Performances
Patekar’s reputation grew further during the 1990s.
He won acclaim for films such as Angaar and Tirangaa, before delivering one of his most celebrated performances as Pratap Narayan Tilak in Krantiveer (1994).
The role earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
He later won another National Film Award for his supporting performance in Agni Sakshi (1996), making him a three-time National Award winner.
Patekar also appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Khamoshi: The Musical, demonstrating a quieter and more emotionally restrained side of his acting.
Ab Tak Chhappan to Welcome: Remarkable Range on Screen
Patekar remained a prominent presence through the 2000s.
His portrayal of encounter specialist Sadhu Agashe in Ab Tak Chhappan (2004) became one of his most acclaimed later roles.
He followed it with a politically charged performance in Apaharan before surprising audiences with his comic turn as gangster Uday Shetty in Welcome (2007).
The character became hugely popular and introduced Patekar to a younger generation of viewers. He reprised the role in Welcome Back in 2015.
He also appeared in Prakash Jha’s political drama Raajneeti in 2010.
‘Natsamrat’ Became a Landmark Marathi Performance
While Hindi cinema brought him nationwide recognition, Patekar remained deeply connected to Marathi films and theatre.
One of the defining performances of his later career came in Natsamrat (2016), in which he played a celebrated theatre actor struggling with ageing, family conflict and loss after retirement.
The performance earned widespread acclaim and the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in Marathi cinema.
His work allowed him to move comfortably between mainstream commercial films and character-driven dramas throughout his career.
Worked in Tamil Cinema Too
Patekar’s career also extended beyond Hindi and Marathi films.
He appeared in Bharathiraja’s Bommalattam and later played politician Harinath Desai opposite Rajinikanth in Kaala in 2018.
The role gave him another memorable antagonist part and marked one of his most prominent performances in South Indian cinema.
Made Directorial Debut With ‘Prahaar’
Patekar was also a filmmaker.
He made his directorial debut with Prahaar: The Final Attack (1991), in which he also played the lead role.
The film focused on military training, discipline and the challenges faced by soldiers after returning to civilian life.
Patekar’s association with India’s armed forces extended beyond cinema. He was associated with the Territorial Army and held the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Naam Foundation and Work for Farmers
Outside cinema, Patekar was widely known for his philanthropic work.
In 2015, he and actor Makarand Anaspure established the Naam Foundation, which worked with farmers and families affected by drought and agrarian distress, particularly in Maharashtra.
His contribution to Indian cinema and the arts was recognised with the Padma Shri in 2013.
Continued Acting Into His Seventies
Patekar continued working well into his seventies.
His later projects included Vanvaas, Housefull 5 and films released or developed during 2026, underscoring a career that remained active nearly five decades after his debut.
Across Hindi and Marathi cinema, he built a reputation for an unmistakable voice, intense dialogue delivery and an ability to move between volatile antagonists, morally complicated protagonists, deeply vulnerable characters and broad comedy.
From Parinda and Krantiveer to Ab Tak Chhappan, Welcome and Natsamrat, Nana Patekar leaves behind a body of work spanning almost five decades and some of Indian cinema’s most recognisable performances.
