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

Final Hours

Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. Patekar messaged a friend around 2:30 am to state that he was feeling unwell and uncomfortable, but the friend missed the message due to the late hour. The friend arrived at the actor's house around 4:00 am to find him sweating and gasping. A caretaker was sent to fetch an ambulance from the nearby Manipal Hospital. When the emergency team arrived, Patekar was totally unresponsive. They administered CPR at the residence and shifted him to the hospital, but he was declared dead at 5:20 am, or around 4:30 am according to hospital timelines. Because he was brought dead, a medico-legal case was registered, and the body was taken to Goa Medical College for a post-mortem.

Tributes and State Funeral

Patekar's son, Malhar, confirmed the death. Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar announced that Patekar will be given a state funeral, a decision taken by the state government headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in recognition of his contribution to Marathi theatre and cinema. Tributes came from political leaders and film personalities. Chief Minister Fadnavis praised his acting range from Krantiveer to Natsamrat and his work with drought-hit farmers. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also expressed deep sadness. Actor Riteish Deshmukh noted his versatile performances across heroes, villains, and comedy, alongside his charitable work. Other stars including Akshay Kumar, Jr NTR, Kiara Advani, and Rakul Preet Singh also shared tributes.

Cinematic Legacy

Patekar started in theatre and made his film debut with Gaman in 1978. He rose to prominence with Parinda in 1989, winning the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He won two more National Awards for Krantiveer in 1994 and Agni Sakshi in 1996. His acclaimed filmography includes Khamoshi: The Musical, Ab Tak Chhappan, Apaharan, Raajneeti, and his comedic role as Uday Shetty in Welcome and Welcome Back. In Marathi cinema, he starred in Natsamrat in 2016. He also directed Prahaar: The Final Attack in 1991 and received the Padma Shri in 2013. His recent appearances included the film O'Romeo, the Prime Video project Subedaar, and the MX Player series Sankalp. Away from screens, he co-founded the Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure in 2015 to support drought-hit farmers. He is survived by his wife, Neelkanti, and son Malhar, along with brothers Ashok and Dilip.

Context

Sudden cardiac arrests occur when the heart abruptly stops beating, requiring immediate emergency intervention like CPR to restore blood flow. Medico-legal cases involving sudden deaths are standard procedure when a patient is brought dead to a hospital without an established medical history of a terminal illness. Patekar leaves behind a legacy spanning nearly five decades across Indian theatre and cinema.