Veteran Actor Nana Patekar Dies at 75 After Cardiac Arrest in Goa

Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar died on Thursday at age 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Goa residence in Dona Paula. He was found unconscious and rushed to Manipal Hospital, where doctors performed CPR for 45 minutes before declaring him dead at 5:20 am. A medico-legal case has been registered and a post-mortem will be conducted.

Born Vishwanath Patekar in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra, he studied art in Mumbai before turning to theatre and film. His breakthrough came with the 1989 film Parinda, earning him a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He won Best Actor for Krantiveer (1994) and a third National Award for Agni Sakshi (1996).

“I am shocked beyond words. Feels like a truck has hit me.”

Patekar moved seamlessly between Hindi and Marathi cinema across five decades. He portrayed a deaf father in Khamoshi: The Musical, an encounter specialist in Ab Tak Chhappan, and the comic gangster Uday Shetty in Welcome, showcasing remarkable range.

Beyond cinema, he co-founded the Naam Foundation to support water conservation and families of farmers who died by suicide in Maharashtra. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted this humanitarian work alongside his artistic legacy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Patekar's intensity and versatility, noting he leaves a deep void. Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar announced the actor will receive a state funeral in recognition of his contributions to theatre and film.

Colleagues including Riteish Deshmukh, Ashok Saraf, and Nimrat Kaur paid tribute. Deshmukh, who co-starred in Bluffmaster and Housefull 5, described the loss as feeling like "a truck has hit me" and praised Patekar's generosity off-screen.