Nana Patekar, one of Indian cinema’s most distinctive performers, died early on Thursday morning after a cardiac arrest at his Goa residence. He was 75.
What happened
The actor was found unconscious at his apartment and rushed to a private medical facility, Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Department of Oncology at Manipal Hospital, told the media. Doctors attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes, but he remained in asystole — no electrical activity in the heart — and was declared dead at approximately 5:10 am on October 8.
A medico-legal case has been registered, and authorities are expected to carry out a post-mortem.
Four days earlier, a farewell-like speech
On October 4, Patekar attended the Samraat Club International installation ceremony in Dona Paula, Goa, dressed in a white kurta and scarf. He spoke about former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, a friend he said he was proud to know, and about how little time anyone is guaranteed.
“I don’t know whether I will be here tomorrow or not,” he said.
He went on to ask whether he was able to do what he wanted with the time he had, and whether a life limited to family and home was enough. His comments about mortality are now being reshared as an accidental final message.
A five-decade career
Born in 1951, Patekar began acting with the 1978 Marathi film Gaman. He built a reputation for raw, unpredictable characters across Marathi and Hindi cinema, moving easily between ferocity and vulnerability.
- Acclaimed dramas: Parinda, Prahar, Angaar, Krantiveer, Tiranga, Khamoshi and Ab Tak Chhappan
- Mainstream comedies: Welcome and the Housefull franchise
- Recent work: Housefull 5, Vishal Bhardwaj’s O Romeo and a cameo in Subedar
At a separate recent event in Panaji, he was seen playing the Shamel, a traditional Goan percussion instrument, a reminder of his easy connection with local culture.
That range is why his passing lands with two generations of viewers — those who knew him as a serious actor and those who discovered him through dialogue delivery, timing and comic roles.
Why his last words matter
At the Goa event, Patekar also spoke about political disagreement and protest. He said it is possible to like some of Narendra Modi’s ideas and dislike others without turning public speech into abuse. The point he returned to was decency: disagree, protest, speak up, but do not use filthy or offensive words in public.
That clarity, delivered just before his death, is why his final appearance is being watched again. It is less about the actor and more about the question he left behind: if time is not guaranteed, are we doing the thing we actually want to do?
Source: Hindustan Times
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