Nana Patekar dies at 75: India mourns the ‘sky of acting’ as tributes pour in

Tributes poured in from across Indian cinema and public life on Thursday as news spread of the death of Nana Patekar, the actor whose fierce intensity, unmistakable dialogue delivery and quiet life away from the limelight made him one of the most admired performers of his generation. He was 75.

Patekar died at 5:20 am at his residence in Goa after suffering a cardiac arrest, despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR. His son, Malhar, confirmed the news to The Indian Express, saying his father had died of natural causes and that he was travelling from Pune to Goa.

'Nana is gone'

For many of those who worked alongside him, the loss was deeply personal. Actor Riteish Deshmukh, writing in Marathi on X, said the news had left him numb and speechless. "Nana is gone… You were the sky of acting," he wrote, recalling the hero, the chilling villain and the mischievous humour behind the serious face that Patekar brought to the screen. Deshmukh, who shared the screen with him in Bluffmaster and Housefull 5, said his one lasting regret was never working with him in a Marathi film. "Truly, today marks the end of an era."

Actor-politician Ravi Kishan remembered a star who never behaved like one. "Even as a star, Nana ji was one of those great artists of Indian cinema who stayed miles away from stardom," he wrote, adding that Patekar never let go of his roots despite the glitz of Mumbai, and that his passing was "a great personal loss" for him.

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma said he still could not believe the news. "I still can't believe this can so suddenly happen to a man as strong as him," he wrote, calling Patekar "the GOD of acting." Casting director Mukesh Chhabra wrote simply: "I am just shocked. This is unbelievable. Rest in peace, Nana Bhai."

A life beyond the screen

Leaders across the political spectrum also paid homage, many pointing to Patekar's work off-camera. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who said he shared a close friendship with the actor, recalled how Patekar "dominated the hearts of discerning audiences for over five decades" and highlighted his work through the Naam Foundation on water conservation and watershed management in rural Maharashtra, as well as the support he extended to families of farmers who died by suicide. "Nana was not only an excellent artist-actor but also a personality sensitive towards society," he wrote.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described the death of the Padma Shri recipient as "an irreplaceable loss to the world of art," remembering him as a powerful theatre artist and a sensitive social worker.

Five decades of unforgettable roles

Born Vishwanath Patekar, he made his debut with Gaman in 1978 and went on to build a body of work across Hindi and Marathi cinema that few could match, from Parinda, which won him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, to Prahaar, Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical, Shakti: The Power, Ab Tak Chhappan, Apaharan, Rajneeti and the comedy Welcome. In Marathi, he was celebrated for Natsamrat and Ole Aale.

He was last seen in Suresh Triveni's Subedaar, alongside Anil Kapoor.

According to news agency ANI, a medico-legal case has been registered and a post-mortem will be conducted, Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital said.