Mumbai: Nana Patekar, the actor whose coiled intensity became one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable signatures, died on Thursday after a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. He was 75. Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar announced that his last rites would be conducted with full state honours, citing Patekar’s contribution to Marathi theatre and Marathi and Hindi cinema.
The last hours
Patekar was taken to Manipal Hospital after the cardiac arrest. Dr Shekhar Salkar, chief of the oncology department at Manipal Hospital, told ANI that doctors attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes. Patekar had sent a message to a friend at about 2:30 am saying he was not feeling well; when the friend arrived near 4 am, he found him unresponsive.
The death drew tributes from political leaders and the film industry. Shelar posted on X that the decision was made considering the actor’s ‘unparalleled contribution’ to Marathi plays and cinema, and said his last rites would be performed ‘with full state honours.’
An actor shaped by theatre, remembered in films
Patekar made his debut with the 1978 film Gaman and built a career that stretched across decades, languages and formats. His work included some of the defining titles of 1980s and 1990s Hindi cinema, while his Marathi theatre pedigree gave his performances a distinct physical charge.
Among the films central to his record:
- Parinda, Prahar and Angaar
- Krantiveer, Tiranga and Khamoshi
- Ab Tak Chhappan
- Recent projects such as Housefull 5, O’Romeo and Subedar
That list alone shows the range: mainstream franchise comedy, a Vishal Bhardwaj film, and the kind of hard-edged dramatic roles that made his name. Shelar described his death as ‘a profound loss for the world of art’ and noted that Patekar had carved out his identity through talent and perseverance.
Why the state honour matters
A state funeral is a formal recognition that usually sits on a different register from box-office success. State funerals are generally reserved for public figures whose contribution is judged to have outlasted their immediate profession. By granting one to Patekar, Maharashtra is making the case that a life in performance can be a public inheritance.
For audiences who grew up with his films, the honour is a cue to return to the performances rather than only the headlines. Patekar was one of those actors whose silence could be as threatening as his dialogue, and the full state honours recognise an entire tradition of Marathi stage and screen work that he carried into Hindi cinema.
Source: Mint
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