Nana Patekar Dies at 75, Leaving Cinema With a Deep Void

Goa (GNP): Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar, whose full name was Vishwanath Patekar, has died at the age of 75 at his residence in Goa. He was declared dead early on Thursday, 8 October 2026, and Indian media reports point to a suspected cardiac arrest.

Patekar was found unconscious after complaining of chest pain. A medical team that responded to the emergency attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before he was taken to hospital.

Dr Shehkar Salkar of Manipal Hospital in Goa said a medico-legal case had been registered. He added that a post-mortem examination would be carried out, so the official cause of death is yet to be confirmed.

Born in 1951 in the Indian state of Maharashtra, Patekar built a career of nearly five decades in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He also appeared in a number of Tamil and Kannada films. His screen debut came in 1978 with Gaman.

International audiences came to know his work through Mira Nair’s Academy Award-nominated Salaam Bombay! He earned further critical praise for Parinda and Krantiveer, where his intense style became his signature.

That reputation was backed by three National Film Awards. He won Best Supporting Actor for Parinda and Agni Sakshi, and Best Actor for Krantiveer. In 2013 he received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour.

Patekar also reached a younger generation of viewers through the 2007 crime comedy Welcome, in which he played the gangster Uday Shetty. The role showed his range, as he moved easily between serious drama and popular comedy.

Tributes followed soon after the news broke. Former Union Minister and actor Smriti Irani shared a personal note, recalling that she called him “Dada” and remembering his unannounced phone calls and the meals he cooked for her. She wrote that their last conversation was an invitation to visit him in Pune.

Dada. That’s what I called him, while the world knew him as Nana Patekar.

His calls were as random as they were precious. No formalities, no pleasantries. Just that familiar voice – “Kahan hai re?”

We barely ever photographed our moments together. Perhaps because one could… pic.twitter.com/Kvn2MXib6Z

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 8, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute on X, praising the actor’s versatility and his unmistakable presence on screen. Modi said, “His passing 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…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 8, 2026