Veteran actor Nana Patekar, one of the most respected performers in Hindi and Marathi cinema, has died at the age of 75. The actor, whose career spanned more than four decades, was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, following a cardiac arrest.
Patekar was reportedly taken to Manipal Hospital after being found unconscious at his home. Doctors attempted to revive him through continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation for around 45 minutes, but he could not be revived. He was declared dead at around 5:20 am on Thursday. Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, confirmed the death to ANI.
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Born Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951 in Maharashtra, Nana began his film career with the 1978 drnama Gaman. He went on to establish himself as an actor capable of bringing unusual intensity to his performances.
His breakthrough came with films such as Salaam Bombay! and Parinda. He later delivered acclaimed performances in films including Prahaar: The Final Attack, Tirangaa, Krantiveer, Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical and Ab Tak Chhappan.
Patekar’s performance as Krantiveer earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor, while his work in Agni Sakshi brought him another National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also became a hugely popular mainstream actor through films such as Welcome, where his portrayal of the eccentric gangster Uday Shetty introduced his work to a new generation of audiences.
Beyond acting, Patekar was also a director and theatre artiste. He directed Prahaar: The Final Attack, a film centred on the lives and struggles of soldiers. His contribution to cinema and the arts was recognised with the Padma Shri in 2013.