Highlights:
Indian cinema lost one of its most powerful voices on Thursday (8). Bollywood veteran actor Nana Patekar died at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. He was declared dead at 5:20 a.m.
Patekar was found unconscious at his home in Dona Paula and rushed to Manipal Hospital, where doctors tried to revive him for almost 45 minutes.
"Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived," Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Chief of Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, told news agency ANI. "A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem will be conducted."
His last rites will be performed this evening at his home in Donje village, near Pune. Outside his Pune home, grieving fans have already begun to gather.
A final role, completed
In one last act of dedication, Patekar had finished shooting his scenes for Shakti Shalini before his death, according to Zoom. He joined the shoot in May and reportedly plays an occultist in the mythological film, part of Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Horror Comedy Universe. The film stars Saiyaara breakout Aneet Padda in the lead, with Vishal Jethwa and Viineet Kumar Siingh also reportedly in the cast.
Director Amar Kaushik has called Shakti Shalini the most important chapter of the horror-comedy universe. It will now also be the final chapter of Patekar's long career.
A nation in mourning
Tributes poured in from across India. India's prime minister Narendra Modi wrote that few actors possessed "the intensity, individuality and unmistakable presence" that Patekar had. Indian president Droupadi Murmu also paid tribute, remembering his powerful performances.
Actor Prakash Raj shared a throwback photo with him, and Nimrat Kaur thanked him for his iconic cinematic legacy. Cricket star Virat Kohli called him a true legend.
From Murud to the movies
Born Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951, in Murud-Janjira, in present-day Maharashtra, he studied at Mumbai's Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Arts before finding his way to acting.
Over nearly five decades, he became known for raw, fearless performances. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Krantiveer (1994), a film whose climax he reportedly shot after coming straight from a hospital bed. He played a hard-nosed encounter cop in Ab Tak Chhappan, a cunning politician in Raajneeti and, to the delight of a new generation, the lovable gangster Uday Shetty in the comedy Welcome and its sequel.
He also directed Prahaar (1991), and was honored with the Padma Shri in 2013.
Beyond the screen
Patekar's life extended far beyond films. He held the rank of honorary lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army and served during the 1999 Kargil War. Through the Naam Foundation, he worked to support farmers in distress.
His generosity was legendary among friends. Action director Shyam Kaushal, father of actor Vicky Kaushal, once said Patekar stood in the operating theater with him when doctors gave him little chance of survival. Kaushal called him like an elder brother.
A void that won't be filled
Patekar is survived by his son, Malhar. For audiences who grew up on his thundering dialogue and piercing gaze, and for the colleagues who knew his quieter kindness, his death leaves a silence that will be hard to fill.
