Actor Nana Patekar dies at 75, to get state funeral

The 75-year-old actor was brought to a private hospital after he was found unconscious at his apartment at Dona Paula, near Panaji, Dr Shekhar Salkar, a senior doctor attached to the hospital, said.

Salkar said that despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, Patekar could not be revived. A medico-legal case has been registered in this connection, he said, while a postmortem would be conducted on his body by the authorities.

He said that Patekar was declared dead at around 5.10 am.

Politicians, celebrities react to Patekar’s passing

Union minister Nitin Gadkari, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, noted social activist Prakash Amte and several film personalities mourned the passing of veteran actor Nana Patekar on Thursday, remembering him not only as a towering figure in cinema but also as a compassionate voice for social causes.

Patekar, known for his versatility and powerful screen presence, passed away at his Goa residence in the early hours of Thursday.

Gadkari said he and Patekar shared a very close and friendly relationship and that the news of his death was deeply shocking and saddening.

“I offer my heartfelt condolences. Nana and I shared a very close and friendly relationship. With his powerful acting, Nana Patekar dominated the hearts of audiences through Marathi and Hindi films for more than five decades. His distinctive dialogue delivery immortalised many film characters and created a unique identity for him. His untimely death is a great loss to Indian cinema,” Gadkari said.

Patekar’s work for water conservation and harvesting in rural parts of Maharashtra through Naam Foundation was remarkable, he noted in a release.

“The assistance he provided to the families of farmers who took their own lives became the support for many families. Nana was not only an outstanding artist and actor but also a person deeply sensitive to social causes. May God grant peace to his departed soul,” Gadkari added.

Noted actor Ashok Saraf also expressed shock and grief over Patekar’s death, recalling their long association and describing him as a disciplined and straightforward person who was always ready to help those in need.

“Nana Patekar was a very close friend of mine. I still cannot believe the news. He was physically fit and led a very disciplined life,” Saraf said.

Recalling their early acting careers, Saraf said both actors began their journey with “Hamidabaichi Kothi” in 1978. Patekar’s intense performance in the play made the industry take note of the new actor, he said.

“He made his spark felt. He was a straightforward person. He would easily rush to help people in need,” Saraf said.

Noted social worker Prakash Amte said he first could not believe the news of Patekar’s death and thought it was a rumour.

Patekar had played the role of Prakash Amte in the Marathi movie “Prakashwata”.

“Nana played my role in a movie, and he had stayed at Hemalkasa for one month. He was highly impressed with Baba Amte’s work. He was younger to me, and it is very painful to accept that he has gone,” Amte said.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said Patekar’s contribution to helping drought-affected people through the Naam Foundation would be greatly missed.

The former Union minister described Patekar as a talented artist who always stood by people during difficult times.

The veteran actor had not only excelled in his profession but also remained deeply concerned about society and used his own efforts and resources to help people in distress, he noted.

Patekar and actor Makarand Anaspure had founded the Naam Foundation to help drought-affected people, Pawar said, recalling the severe drought in Maharashtra around five years ago.

“Naam Foundation’s contribution towards helping drought-affected people has been immense. When I travelled through drought-hit areas, I saw Nana’s people doing excellent work at several places. Nana would stand with people during such crises, which gave them a different kind of confidence. That absence will certainly be felt today,” Pawar said.

He said the drought was among the most severe he had witnessed in Maharashtra in the last 50 years and Patekar, Anaspure and their associates came forward to help those affected.

“Today, Nana is not with us. Maharashtra has lost a talented artist and a great person who would rush to help those in distress. I and my colleagues, my party and everyone else share the grief of his family,” Pawar said.

Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister and BJP leader Ashish Shelar mourned Patekar’s death, calling him a “fearless actor” and saying the Indian film industry had lost a sensitive, talented and authentic artiste.

In a post on X, Shelar said Patekar had left an indelible mark on Marathi and Hindi cinema through his performances and created a distinct identity through theatre, films and social work.

Patekar, who came from a middle-class working-class Marathi family, won several awards for his contribution to cinema, including the Maharashtra government’s late Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award in 2013, Shelar said.

Actor-producer Riteish Deshmukh said he was “shocked beyond words” to know about Patekar’s demise, noting that he was incomparable in his craft.

Patekar had excelled in every kind of role, including larger-than-life heroes, terrifying villains and poker-faced comedy, and had also worked tirelessly for the welfare of people through charity.

“I had the privilege of sharing screen space with him in ‘Bluffmaster’ and ‘Housefull 5’, but working with him in a Marathi film will forever remain my unfulfilled desire,” Deshmukh said.

He described Patekar’s death as “truly, the end of an era” and offered condolences to his family, loved ones and millions of well-wishers.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal said Patekar had a strong social and political consciousness in addition to his acting abilities.

“He took the initiative in water conservation activities and helped so many farmers in the state,” Sapkal said.

Patekar to get State funeral

Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar on Thursday announced that veteran actor Nana Patekar will be accorded a state funeral in recognition of his contribution to theatre and cinema.

The Devendra Fadnavis government took the decision considering Patekar’s unparalleled contribution to the fields of Marathi theatre and Marathi and Hindi cinema, Shelar said.

Patekar, known for his versatility and powerful screen presence, passed away in Goa early on Thursday.

His notable Hindi movies include “Parinda”, “Prahaar: The Final Act”, “Tirangaa”, “Krantiveer” and “Khamoshi: The Musical”.

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.