Nana Patekar, an actor whose controlled fury defined a long stretch of Hindi and Marathi cinema, died on October 8 in Goa at the age of 75. Hindustan Times reported that he suffered a cardiac arrest. He made his debut in Gaman in 1978, and for close to five decades he remained a force in Hindi and Marathi films. Yet his southern filmography is strikingly small: just three titles, each carrying a different reason to revisit him.
The three southern films
For Hindi-cinema readers, these credits are a compact look at how a familiar actor works in a different register.
- Bommalattam (2008, Tamil): Directed by Bharathiraja and co-starring Arjun Sarja, Patekar played an eccentric film director named Rana who becomes a suspect after a series of murders. Shot simultaneously in Hindi as Cinema, it later appeared in Hindi as Final Cut of Director. Both versions underperformed, but his performance was praised. Where to watch: Sun NXT, Airtel Xstream.
- Yaksha (2011, Kannada): Patekar played police officer Yaksha Raj Pulikeshi in a story about a student infiltrating an underworld gang. He dubbed his own Kannada lines, using Hindi transliteration and coaching from co-actor Girish Mattannavar. The film was a box-office disappointment. Where to watch: YouTube.
- Kaala (2018, Tamil): Directed by Pa. Ranjith and produced by Dhanush, the Dharavi-set social drama cast him opposite Rajinikanth as soft-spoken antagonist Haridev Abhayankar. Patekar nearly said no, but Rajinikanth persuaded him; the film underperformed initially and later became a cult favourite. Where to watch: Prime Video, JioHotstar.
Why Kaala matters
Among the three, Kaala is the one most Hindi-cinema viewers will know. Patekar’s Haridev Abhayankar is quieter than the volcanic characters he often played, and the contrast shows how much range he could bring to a villain when the frame and co-star allowed it. That he almost walked away from the part makes the performance feel like a deliberate choice rather than an accident of casting.
The Kerala wish he never fulfilled
Beyond these roles, Patekar was replaced by Prakash Raj in Bheemaa (2008), and he dismissed reports that he had turned down ₹20 crore for S.S. Rajamouli’s planned Varanasi. At the International Film Festival of Kerala in 2023, he said:
“Not even a single director from here has ever approached me in the last 50 years.”
He added that this meant he needed to improve as an actor, and promised to try his best. That hope of a Malayalam film remained unfinished.
Source: Hindustan Times
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