Veteran actor Nana Patekar has passed away at the age of 75 after suffering a severe cardiac arrest. The National Award-winning actor was among the most respected and distinctive performers in Hindi and Marathi cinema.
Nana Patekar was found unconscious at his Goa home
The actor was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. He was subsequently rushed to a hospital, but the doctors declared him dead. According to ANI, Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department, Manipal Hospital, has shared that despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, the actor could not be revived. Further, a medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem is being conducted.GMC Dean JP Tiwari has constituted a team of three doctors for the autopsy. This panel includes Dr Kedar Narvekar, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Dr Pannag S Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Dr Peter Rodrigues, Lecturer, Department of Pathology.
Official statement by Manipal Hospital, Goa
The Manipal Hospital, Goa, expressing its profound grief, shared an official statement on the demise of Nana Patekar. The statement read, “Mr. Patekar was brought to our 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.As is standard protocol for such sudden medical emergencies, the hospital is coordinating with the relevant authorities to complete all necessary procedural requirements.”Further, Mr. Surendra Prasad, Hospital Director, paid a tribute to the late actor and said, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss. Our medical teams worked with the utmost urgency, but unfortunately, he could not be saved. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and millions of admirers worldwide.”
Nana Patekar’s last rites to be held at his Pune farmhouse
According to PTI, the last rites of Nana Patekar will be performed at his farmhouse, located at Donje on the outskirts of Pune, Maharashtra.“The mortal remains will be brought (to Pune) by around 5 pm, and later will be kept for the last ‘darshan’. The last rites will be performed on the premises of his farmhouse,” said Ganesh Thorat, the CEO of the actor’s Naam Foundation.Further, Maharashtra Culture Minister Ashish Shelar has shared that Nana Patekar will be accorded a state funeral. The decision has been taken by the Devendra Fadnavis government, considering the late legendary’s artist’s unparalleled contribution to Marathi theatre and Marathi as well as Hindi cinema.
Film industry pays tribute to Nana Patekar
The news has shattered the industry, with the film fraternity members and fans trying to process the loss. After the news of Nana Patekar’s demise came out, Marathi actor Siddharth Jadhav expressed his grief. While speaking to ETimes, he said he is ” in shock after knowing about the death; this was not the time to go. He had many things to do yet. In deep shock, couldn’t process the news.”Meanwhile, several actors have taken to their social media handles to express their profound grief. “I was deeply saddened to hear the extremely tragic news of Nana Patekar Ji’s passing early this morning. Despite being a star, Nana Ji was always far removed from the trappings of stardom,” shared Ravi Kishan on his social media story.He recalled the late actor as “one of the great artists of Indian cinema, known for his simplicity, humility and his down-to-earth personality.”“Even while living amidst the glitz and glamour of Mumbai, he never lost touch with his roots and values. I shared a close and warm relationship with Nana Ji. We would speak from time to time, and I learned a great deal from his acting, simplicity and perspective on life,” wrote the actor-politician.
About Nana Patekar
Born as Vishwanath Patekar in 1951 in Maharashtra, Nana Patekar’s journey into the world of acting started in the late 1970s. ‘Gaman’ was his debut film; following it, he gave one performance after another to establish himself in the industry.Some of his most loved cinematic pieces include ‘Parinda’, ‘Prahaar’, ‘Angaar’, ‘Krantiveer’, ‘Agni Sakshi’, ‘Yashwant’, ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’, ‘Apaharan’, ‘Welcome’ and ‘Natsamrat’, among several others. His performances frequently moved beyond conventional hero and villain roles.The late legendary star was honoured with the National Award thrice. In 1989, he received the National Award for Best Supporting Actor for ‘Parinda’ and got the Best Actor title for ‘Krantiveer in 1994. Then in 1996, he was again honoured with the National Award for Best Supporting Actor in ‘Agni Sakshi.’ Further, he was honoured with the Padma Shri for his contribution to the arts in 2013.Nana Patekar built a career spanning several decades across films, theatre and television. With powerful screen presence, intense dialogue delivery and the ability to portray complex characters with remarkable restraint, the actor made a unique place for himself in Indian cinema. He kept his personal life as private as possible. He enjoyed spending his time at his village whenever he wasn’t working, as the late actor believed in living a simple life.
