Key takeaways:
- Patekar was admitted to a hospital after being found unconscious at his home in Goa; the Press Trust of India reported that cardiac arrest was suspected.
- He won three National Film Awards and received the Padma Shri during a career spanning nearly five decades.
- The Maharashtra government announced a funeral with full state honours at a farmhouse in Pune.
Nana Patekar, the Indian actor whose intense performances made him a leading figure in Hindi and Marathi cinema, has died at 75. His son Malhar confirmed the death to BBC Marathi after Patekar was found unconscious at his home in Goa early Thursday.
Patekar was admitted to a hospital, but doctors could not revive him. “Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived,” Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital in Goa told the ANI news agency, according to the BBC. The Press Trust of India reported that a doctor at the hospital where Patekar was pronounced dead suspected cardiac arrest, according to Al Jazeera.
The Maharashtra government said his funeral would take place later Thursday with full state honours at a farmhouse in Pune, the BBC reported.
Over a career spanning nearly five decades, Patekar became known for playing volatile, complex and unconventional characters. He won three National Film Awards, for Parinda, Krantiveer and Agni Sakshi, and received the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours.
Born in Maharashtra in 1951, Patekar made his film debut in Gaman in 1978. His portrayal of the gangster Anna in the 1989 film Parinda made him a household name in India and earned him his first National Film Award, as well as a Filmfare Award. He gained wider international recognition through Mira Nair’s Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay!, Al Jazeera reported.
His roles ranged from Major Chauhan in Prahaar, which he also directed, to a patriotic hero in Tirangaa and Pratap Narayan Tilak in Krantiveer. In Khamoshi, he played a character who could neither hear nor speak. He later portrayed a politician in the 2010 film Rajneeti. Patekar also worked as a writer and remained active in theatre, where he had developed his style before entering films. His stage work included Purush and Hamidabai Chi Kothi, according to the BBC.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Patekar’s “intensity, individuality and unmistakable presence,” writing on X that he brought “remarkable versatility and creativity to every role.” Actor Akshay Kumar, who appeared with him in the comedy Welcome, said Patekar was “one of those rare actors who never needed to do too much to make you sit up and watch.”
Away from acting, Patekar spoke publicly about farmers’ issues and criticised government policies. In 2015, he and actor Makarand Anaspure established the Naam Foundation, which works on farmer welfare and water conservation in Maharashtra, the BBC reported.
In 2018, actor Tanushree Dutta accused Patekar of sexually harassing her on a film set a decade earlier. Her allegations helped spark India’s #MeToo movement, the BBC reported. Patekar denied them. Police said in 2019 that they had found insufficient evidence, and he was cleared of the charges.
Patekar is survived by his son and his wife, from whom he was separated, according to Al Jazeera.
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