Akshay Kumar mourns Nana Patekar, recalls ‘one of a kind’ Welcome co-star: 'That voice, that intensity...'

Akshay Kumar, who shared some of his most loved comic moments on screen with Nana Patekar, paid an emotional tribute to his Welcome co-star on Thursday, remembering him as a rare actor who could command a scene without ever trying too hard.

Patekar died at his residence in Goa earlier in the day after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 75.

'He was completely his own'

Taking to X, Kumar wrote that he was "really saddened" by the news, describing Patekar as one of those rare performers "who never needed to do too much to make you sit up and watch."

"That voice, that intensity, that honesty in every performance… he was completely his own," he wrote.

The actor said he felt fortunate to have worked with Patekar twice, first in Anees Bazmee's 2007 comedy Welcome and more recently in Housefull 5, and that he would always hold close the memories from those sets.

"Nana ji was truly one of a kind. It's hard to believe you're gone. Thank you for all the memories. You will be missed more than words can say," Kumar added.

An unlikely comic pairing

The two actors' partnership in Welcome remains one of the most enduring in Hindi comedy. Patekar, best known until then for intense, brooding roles in films like Parinda, Prahaar and Ab Tak Chhappan, surprised audiences with his deadpan turn as the gangster Uday Shetty, opposite Anil Kapoor's Majnu and Kumar's Rajiv. The film became a major box-office success, and its scenes and dialogues continue to circulate widely as memes nearly two decades later. The pair reunited on screen in Housefull 5.

Tributes pour in

Kumar's message joined a wave of tributes from across the film industry and public life. Riteish Deshmukh, who also worked with Patekar in Housefull 5, wrote that "today marks the end of an era," while Ravi Kishan remembered him as an artist who stayed "miles away from stardom." Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid homage, with Gadkari highlighting Patekar's work in water conservation through the Naam Foundation.

A career spanning five decades

Born Vishwanath Patekar, he made his debut with Gaman in 1978 and went on to win the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Parinda. His filmography across Hindi and Marathi cinema includes Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical, Apaharan, Rajneeti and Natsamrat. He was last seen in Suresh Triveni's Subedaar, alongside Anil Kapoor.