Actor Nana Patekar died of a cardiac arrest on October 8 at the age of 75. Tributes have been pouring in from across the film industry and political circles as the sudden death of the veteran actor has left many in shock, with those who worked closely with him struggling to come to terms with the loss.
‘It is a huge grief, a very big loss for the industry’
Subhash Kale, co-producer of the upcoming Nana Patekar-starrer crime thriller The Confession, also known as The Confession of Mary, said the actor was expected to return to Mumbai soon to complete the film’s dubbing. Speaking to news agency ANI, Subhash recalled his last conversation with Nana. He said, “It is a very big loss, and it is unbelievable… unbelievable. I found out at around 7:30 this morning, as soon as I woke up, and I was completely shaken when I heard the news. Then, to confirm it, I immediately called Malhar, and it was confirmed. It is a huge grief, a very big loss for the industry. A very big loss! So sudden…”
He went on to add that they had spoken just two days earlier about the dubbing, with only one line left for the actor to record. “Yes, The Confession, which is set to release. We had spoken just the day before yesterday about the dubbing. There was one line that he had to dub. He told me, ‘I am coming to Bombay.’ He was supposed to come to Bombay tomorrow, and he also had a shoot scheduled in Bombay for a film. So he told me, ‘I’ll come tomorrow, and we’ll do that one line.’… Whenever he came to Mumbai, the first call would be to me: ‘I am coming to the studio.’ We would sit together, have a lot of fun, joke around, sing songs… He was just incredible. What can I say now? I am unable to speak at this moment. I have to leave for Goa now, so…” he added.
Nana Patekar dies
Nana Patekar died in Goa on the morning of October 8. He was 75. The actor’s son, Malhar Patekar, confirmed to local media about his death. Nana was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, and was rushed to Manipal Hospital. Doctors attempted to revive the actor for around 45 minutes but were unsuccessful. The actor was declared dead at around 5:20 am, with doctors citing a heart attack as the cause of death.
A three-time National Award-winning actor, Nana is regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema history. His passing drew tributes from across Indian cinema and public life, including tributes from Prime Minister Modi and several Chief Ministers.