Veteran actor Nana Patekar, one of Indian cinema’s most formidable and beloved performers, died on Thursday, October 8, at the age of 75 after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa.
According to reports, Patekar complained of severe chest pain at his home, and a medical team rushed to the residence found him unresponsive. He was taken to Manipal Hospital, where doctors administered CPR for around 45 minutes but could not revive him. He was declared dead at approximately 5:20 am. Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital confirmed the cardiac arrest, and a medico-legal case has been registered with a post-mortem examination expected.
A Career Like No Other
Born Vishwanath Patekar, the actor made his screen debut with Gaman in 1978 and went on to build a career spanning nearly five decades across Hindi and Marathi cinema. He won three National Film Awards — for Parinda, Krantiveer and Agni Sakshi — along with four Filmfare Awards, and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2013 for his contribution to cinema and the arts.
From the volcanic intensity of Krantiveer to the heartbreaking restraint of Natsamrat, Patekar’s performances were marked by an honesty that made them feel less like acting and more like life unfolding on screen. His later work, including The Vaccine War, showed an artist still commanding the frame well into his seventies.
Shah Rukh Khan’s Tribute
Shah Rukh Khan, who shared the screen with Patekar in Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, posted an emotional tribute on X, calling him a mentor, a critic and a friend — and recalling lighter days when Patekar would beat him and everyone else at carrom.
“He loved me and I loved him back… He was a mentor… a critic and a friend who beat me and everyone… in carrom game,” Shah Rukh wrote.
He also recalled a piece of advice Patekar once gave him that stayed with him through his career: “Hero banne ke chakkar mein actor mat khona” — don’t lose the actor in the race to become a hero.
An Industry Mourns
Tributes poured in from across the film industry. Riteish Deshmukh wrote that he was “shocked beyond words,” calling Patekar “an actor par excellence, incomparable to anyone.” Jr NTR remembered “an unmistakable honesty and intensity in every character he portrayed.” Ram Gopal Varma wrote that he couldn’t believe “this can so suddenly happen to a man, as strong as him.”
Manisha Koirala, his co-star in Agni Sakshi and Khamoshi, shared a heartfelt post remembering a true legend of the acting world. Pankaj Tripathi said it felt like losing a guru, while President Droupadi Murmu called his passing a great loss to Indian cinema.
Farhan Akhtar also expressed his grief over the veteran actor’s demise in an emotional post on X, calling Patekar “a generational talent who commanded our attention when on screen” and adding, “You will be missed sir but never forgotten.”
