In a shocking development, veteran Bollywood actor Nana Patekar passed away on Thursday morning after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. He was 75.
According to Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, the actor could not be revived despite 45 minutes of continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
“Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived. A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem will be conducted,” Dr. Shekhar Salkar told ANI.
Patekar was found unconscious at his residence and was rushed to Manipal Hospital, where doctors attempted to revive him. A medico-legal case has been registered and a post-mortem examination will follow.
Nana Patekar leaves behind a rich legacy of iconic performances in Indian cinema. Born Vishwanath Patekar 1951 in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra, he studied at Mumbai’s Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art. He began his acting career with theatre before making his Hindi film debut with a small role in Gaman in 1978. He subsequently worked in both Hindi and Marathi cinema, establishing himself as an actor known for intense, often volatile performances.
His breakthrough came with N. Chandra’s Ankush (1986), followed by roles in films including Pratighaat, Salaam Bombay and Parinda. His performance in Parinda earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and a Filmfare Award in the same category. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Krantiveer—one of his most popular roles—and another Best Supporting Actor National Award for Agni Sakshi, one of his scariest.
A supremely versatile actor, Patekar appeared in films as diverse as Khamoshi: The Musical, Shakti: The Power, Ab Tak Chhappan, Apaharan, Welcome, Raajneeti, Taxi No. 9211, Natsamrat and others. He also directed the film Prahaar: The Final Attack in 1991, playing the lead role of an army major who fights against an unjust world. To train for the film, Patekar joined the Territorial Army as a captain. He subsequently served as a major with the Maratha Light Infantry regiment during the Kargil War, later retiring from the Territorial Army in 2013 as a lieutenant colonel.
In 2018, Patekar was at the centre of the #MeToo storm in India after actor Tanushree Dutta accused him of sexually harassing her on the sets of the film Horn OK Pleassss. Despite intense public scrutiny, he was cleared of the charges by the Mumbai police in 2019. In 2025, a Mumbai court disposed of the two FIRs against Patekar and three others.
Nana Patekar was awarded the Padma Shri in 2013 for his contribution to cinema and the arts. One of his final roles was in the action drama O Romeo earlier this year, and he also had a cameo in Subedaar.