Bollywood icon Nana Patekar dies at 75
Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar, renowned for his intense performances, has died at the age of 75 in Goa.
The actor was admitted to a hospital after being found unconscious at his home in Goa early Thursday. Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived, Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital told ANI news agency.
Patekar had suffered a cardiac arrest; the exact trigger remains unclear. He was 75, the age he was turned on 25 October 1951.
A funeral with full state honours will be held later Thursday evening at his farmhouse in Pune, as announced by the Maharashtra government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on X, praising Patekar’s versatility and outspoken personality, adding that the actor’s death left a “vast void in the artistic world.”
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar remembered him as a performer whose voice, intensity and honesty could command an audience’s attention. Patekar first appeared in the 1978 film Gaman and rose to household fame with his role in 1989’s Parinda, earning a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award for his portrayal of gangster Anna.
He continued to deliver memorable roles through the 1990s, playing diverse characters ranging from gangsters to politicians, including Major Chauhan in his own film Prahaar, the patriotic hero in Tirangaa, and Pratap Narayan Tilak in Krantiveer. Later, he surprised critics with a nuanced performance in Khamoshi, portraying a mute and deaf character.
Beyond cinema, Patekar was deeply involved in Marathi theatre. He debuted on stage with plays such as Purush and Hamidabai Chi Kothi, and remained a prominent theatre figure throughout his career.
He was also known for his activism, openly criticising government policies, especially those affecting farmers. In 2015 he co‑founded the Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure to aid farmer welfare and water conservation in Maharashtra.
Patekar’s career faced controversy when, in 2018, actor Tanushree Dutta alleged sexual harassment by him, sparking India’s #MeToo movement. He denied the claims; in 2019, police cleared him of any wrongdoing.
