Nana Patekar Dies At 75. Days Earlier, He Spoke of Life

Nana Patekar dies at 75 in Goa. Veteran actor was declared dead at Manipal Hospital at 5:20 am; post-mortem expected. Full career and background.

North Desk Correspondent

Panaji, October 8

Nana Patekar Dies: Veteran actor Nana Patekar, among the most acclaimed performers of Hindi and Marathi cinema, died in Goa on Thursday morning. He was 75.

According to his son, Malhar Patekar, a medical team was called to the actor’s flat after he complained of severe chest pain. The team found him unresponsive and tried to revive him before shifting him to Manipal Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at 5:20 am.

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The death has been registered as a medico-legal case. A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted on Thursday to establish the exact cause and circumstances of his death.

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Nana Patekar Dies: Who he was

Nana Patekar Dies: Born Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951, in Murud-Janjira, in present-day Maharashtra, he trained at Mumbai’s Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Arts before turning to theatre and cinema. He made his film debut with Gaman (1978).

He became known for intense, often brooding roles. Parinda (1989), Prahaar (1991, which he also directed), Krantiveer (1994), Agni Sakshi (1996), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004) and Raajneeti (2010) are among his best-known Hindi films.

Audiences also knew him for comic turns as Uday Shetty in Welcome (2007) and Welcome Back (2015), and he worked steadily in Marathi cinema, including Natsamrat. He was last seen in Vivek Agnihotri’s The Vaccine War (2023).

His honours include National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards (the former for Krantiveer) and the Padma Shri in 2013.  

Beyond cinema, he held the rank of honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army and was associated with the Kargil War period. He also co-founded the Naam Foundation, which works for farmers’ families.  

He is survived by his wife, Neelkanti, whom he married in 1978, and his son, Malhar.

What doctor says

Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department, Manipal Hospital, says that the actor was brought dead to the hospital. The doctors gave him cardiac massage for almost 45 minutes to an hour, but he could not be saved, he said.

Around 2.30 am, Nana Patekar messaged his friend that he was not feeling well, said the doctor. When the friend saw the message, he went to his house. It was around 4 o’clock by then.

They sent his caretaker to the hospital who took the ambulance. When the emergency team went there, they started cardiac massage because he was unresponsive.

Nana Patekar was shifted to the hospital by 4.30 am. The doctor said: “We tried our best, but he was brought dead. Then we had to file a police case because there’s an MLC (medico-legal case).”

‘I don’t know whether I will be here tomorrow…’

Only four days back, Nana Patekar had spoken about mortality. At the launch of Samraat Club International, a theatre club in Goa, he said, “We all have to go someday. I don’t know whether I will be here tomorrow or not. Every person’s life will eventually reach that point. But before that happens, I have to ask myself: am I able to do what I want to do?”

He added, “I have to ask myself whether I have tried. If my world is limited to my children, my wife, and my home, then what is my purpose? I have to give something back here, don’t I?”

His words are not echoing as Nana Patekar is no more with us.

ALSO: Nana Patekar Best Role: Dropped, Then Cast As Anna In Parinda

ALSO: Nana Patekar Medico-Legal Case: What MLC Means, What Next

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