Veteran Bollywood and Marathi theatre icon Nana Patekar has died at the age of 75 in Goa.
He was rushed to Manipal Hospital after being found unconscious at his home. Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR the doctors could not revive him.
Patekar’s funeral will take place later this evening with full state honours at his farmhouse in Pune as announced by Maharashtra officials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on X, praising the actor’s versatility and outspoken personality, while Bollywood star Akshay Kumar remembered him as a rare performer whose voice and intensity commanded audiences.
Patekar burst onto the screen with Gaman in 1978 but rose to nationwide acclaim with Parinda, winning his first National Film Award for the gangster Anna. His repertoire expanded to powerful roles in Prahaar, Tirangaa, Krantiveer and the silent performance in Khamoshi that showcased a range beyond loud characters.
An influential presence in Marathi and Hindi theatre since the early 1970s, he delivered iconic dialogues that entered everyday speech and inspired imitators. His activism included outspoken criticism of government policy and the founding of the Naam Foundation in 2015 to support farmers and water conservation.
Patekar faced controversy in 2018 when allegations of sexual harassment were raised by actress Tanushree Dutta, contributing to the MeToo movement in India; the charges were later dismissed due to lack of evidence.
