Veteran Bollywood Actor Nana Patekar Dies at 75
Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar, one of the most respected performers in Hindi and Marathi cinema, has died at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa.
Patekar was reportedly found unconscious at his home in Dona Paula early Thursday after experiencing chest pain. A medical team was called to the residence and attempted to revive him before he was taken to Manipal Hospital in Goa. Doctors continued CPR for around 45 minutes, but the actor could not be revived. He was declared dead at approximately 5:20am, according to hospital officials cited by Indian media.
Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital said a medico-legal case had been registered and that a post-mortem examination was expected to be conducted.
Born Vishwanath Patekar, the actor built a remarkable career spanning nearly five decades. He made his film debut with the 1978 movie Gaman and went on to establish himself as a powerful and versatile performer in both Hindi and Marathi cinema.
Patekar earned widespread critical recognition for his work in films including Parinda, Agni Sakshi and Krantiveer. He won three National Film Awards, including Best Actor for Krantiveer and Best Supporting Actor for Parinda and Agni Sakshi.
His performance in Mira Nair’s acclaimed Salaam Bombay! further strengthened his reputation as one of India’s leading character actors. In 2013, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards.
Despite his success in serious and dramatic roles, Patekar also became hugely popular with mainstream audiences. A younger generation of viewers embraced him for his comic performance as gangster Uday Shetty in the 2007 hit Welcome.
Known for his distinctive voice, intense screen presence and memorable dialogue delivery, Nana Patekar leaves behind a lasting legacy across Indian cinema.
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