Nation mourns for veteran actor who passed away in Goa at 75; last rites conducted at his Pune farmhouse
Panaji: Veteran actor Nana Patekar, who stood out for his raw, earthy performances across diverse films such as ‘Krantiveer’ and ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’, died in the early hours of Thursday after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest at his Goa residence in Dona Paula. He was 75.
Thousands of people from various walks of life bid adieu to the veteran actor late on Thursday night as his mortal remains were consigned to flames at his farmhouse in Donje village in Pune district.
Patekar was found unconscious at his apartment and was rushed to Manipal Hospital in Dona Paula.
According to Dr Shekhar Salkar, a senior doctor at the hospital, doctors administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for around 45 minutes, but could not revive him. He was declared dead at around 5.10 am.
Manipal Hospital in a statement confirmed the actor’s death and said he was brought to its emergency department following a sudden medical emergency at his residence.
“Despite the immediate and exhaustive resuscitation efforts by our emergency medical team, he could not be revived,” the hospital said. Hospital director Surendra Prasad expressed condolences to Patekar’s family, friends and millions of admirers. “Our medical teams worked with the utmost urgency, but unfortunately, he could not be saved,” he said.
According to Dr Salkar, a friend of Patekar told doctors that the actor had messaged the friend at around 3.30 am saying that he was not feeling well. The friend saw the message around 4 am and rushed to Patekar’s residence, where the actor was living with a caretaker.
The caretaker contacted the hospital, following which an ambulance was dispatched to the residence. Medical treatment began inside the ambulance itself, Dr Salkar said. Patekar’s residence was around five minutes from the hospital.
A medico-legal case was registered and Patekar’s body was subsequently shifted to Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim, for a postmortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death. A three-member medical team was constituted to conduct the examination.
Patekar’s wife, Neelakanti Patekar, son Malhar Patekar and other close relatives reached the GMC morgue and completed the necessary formalities.
After the postmortem, the mortal remains were taken to the actor’s farmhouse at Donje village near Sinhagad Fort in Pune district.
The last rites of the 75-year-old actor were performed with full state honours amid the chants of “Nana Amar Rahe” (Long Live Nana).
Patekar’s son Malhar lit the pyre.
According to his aides, Patekar had said in the past that he would like to be cremated at his farmhouse.
The sudden death of the actor, who effectively captured the anger, helplessness and disillusionment of the common person in his roles, came as a shock to his colleagues and friends.
Just four days ago, he said at an event in Goa, “We all have to go someday. I don’t know whether I will be here tomorrow.”
Several political leaders and members of the film fraternity visited the GMC following the actor’s death. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar visited the morgue and expressed his grief.
Goa’s top politicians also visited the hospital and paid their respects to the departed soul.
President Droupadi Murmu said Patekar’s commitment to social service reflected his concern for the underprivileged.
“Through his powerful and deeply evocative performances, he brought to life a wide range of human experiences. He portrayed characters that left a lasting imprint on the hearts and minds of people,” she said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Patekar’s death in a post on X, saying the actor’s death leaves a deep void.
“Few actors possessed the intensity, individuality and unmistakable presence that Shri Nana Patekar Ji had. He brought remarkable versatility and creativity to every role and gave us characters that will be remembered for generations. He was also admired for his frank and forthright views, never hesitating to express what he believed in,” the PM said in a post on X.
“Shri Nana Patekar’s contribution to Hindi and Marathi cinema was immense. His passing leaves a deep void. My condolences to his family, friends and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” he added.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed shock and grief over the actor’s death. In a post on X, Sawant recalled Patekar’s contribution to theatre, Hindi and Marathi cinema and described his performances as leaving an “indelible mark” on Indian cinema.
Speaking to reporters later in New Delhi, Sawant said the veteran actor’s death was a major loss for Goa, Maharashtra and the country. He described the actor as both a talented performer and a social worker, and said Patekar had been a close friend.
Patekar was among India’s most respected actors, with a career spanning theatre, Hindi and Marathi cinema. He was widely known for his intense performances and distinctive screen presence.
His notable Hindi films include ‘Parinda’, ‘Prahaar: The Final Act’, ‘Tirangaa’, ‘Krantiveer’ and ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’.
He also earned acclaim for his performance in the Marathi film ‘Natsamrat’.
Over his long career, Patekar won three national film awards and several Filmfare and Maharashtra state film awards. He was also honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award.
His death marks the loss of one of Indian cinema’s most versatile and influential performers. (With inputs from PTI)
