Veteran actor Nana Patekar died in Goa on October 8 at the age of 75 after a cardiac arrest. His son Malhar Patekar was among the first in the family to confirm the news, and that confirmation has turned fresh attention to a second-generation film career that was deliberately kept out of the limelight.
A sudden death in Goa
According to reports, Patekar experienced severe chest pain at his Dona Paula residence and was found unresponsive. He was taken to Manipal Hospital, where doctors attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes before he was declared dead.
Malhar Patekar gave a brief account after the news broke: “Yes, the news that has come out is true. We also couldn’t believe it, but it is true. I am in Pune right now, but as soon as we heard the news, we left for Goa.”
A quieter route through film
Malhar grew up around cinema as the son of Nana and actress Neelkanti Patekar. He reportedly studied at Saraswati Mandir High School in Mumbai and later completed a graduation in commerce, but he did not chase the conventional path of a Bollywood leading role.
- Worked as an assistant director on Ram Gopal Varma’s The Attacks of 26/11, in which Nana Patekar played Joint Commissioner Rakesh Maria.
- Reportedly established Nana Saheb Production House and has been associated with film production.
- Appeared in the supporting cast of the 2014 film The Little Godfather, directed by Joy Augustine and also featuring Angad Bedi.
That acting credit did not become a bid for fame. Malhar has rarely made public appearances and has kept his personal life away from social media and the celebrity circuit.
Why the quiet path matters
Hindi cinema has long been understood through its stars, but the industry is also sustained by second-generation professionals who choose production, direction and craft roles. Malhar’s record is a reminder that a film family can pass on a working knowledge of the medium without passing on the compulsion to be famous.
The family’s own history makes that choice more pointed. Nana and Neelkanti had two sons; their elder son, Durvasa, died at a very young age after health problems. Nana married Neelkanti in 1978 after they met through theatre. She had her own career in Marathi theatre and cinema and also worked as a bank officer. The couple later lived separately but reportedly never divorced.
What comes next
For now, the immediate story is a career of nearly five decades and a family in shock. For readers who follow film lineages, the longer question is whether Nana Saheb Production House becomes a more visible part of the Patekar legacy. Malhar’s low profile suggests that any such move would likely be judged on the work, not the attention around it.
Source: Moneycontrol
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