Nana Patekar's final public appearance: 'I don't know whether I will be here tomorrow'
Four days before his death, the veteran actor reflected on mortality, dissent and duty
Nana Patekar, whose intense performances shaped Hindi and Marathi cinema for more than four decades, has died at 75. The actor suffered a cardiac arrest at his family home in Goa in the early hours of the morning.
According to ANI, he was taken to a nearby hospital at around 5:20 am, where doctors attempted CPR for 45 minutes before he was pronounced dead. His son, Malhar, confirmed the news to the Indian Express. He said his father had died of natural causes and that he was travelling from Pune to Goa, with a fuller statement to follow.
A final word on purpose
Only four days earlier, Patekar had spoken at the launch of Samraat Club International, a new theatre club at Dona Paula in Goa. He returned there to the stage that first formed him. He said, "I congratulate every one on this very first institution of innovation and theater. There is such an illustrious team: Vijaya Veda, Dr Laagu, Tendulkar, Sulbha Deshpande, Arvind, Vrundavan Dandawatre. They are all one voice. I remember when I did Tendulkar’s first play; the writer, director, all of them together were such a brilliant group. Their plays would go on for weeks at an institute. I appreciate that they bring all artists in the city together; this institute will only flourish this way. In theatre and cinema, anything new gets appreciated, so always seek newer ideas. Your values won’t change you, in fact, others will inculcate them."
He spoke openly about mortality, saying no one can be sure of tomorrow, and asked what a life is for if it ends at one's own family and home. He said, "We all have to go someday. I don’t know whether I will be here tomorrow or not. Every person’s life will eventually reach that point. But before that happens, I have to ask myself: am I able to do what I want to do? I have to ask myself whether I have tried. If my world is limited to my children, my wife, and my home, then what is my purpose? I have to give something back here, don’t I?"
In his view, the duty was to give something back. He also spoke about public life. He said it was possible to agree with some of a leader's ideas and reject others, and that people should be willing to say so. Dissent, he argued, should be expressed with decency, never with anger or abuse.
From the stage to the screen
Patekar began his career in Marathi theatre and moved to films in 1978 with Gaman. His role in Parinda (1989) brought him his first National Film Award. Krantiveer (1994) earned him the National Award for Best Actor. Over the years he built a body of work that included Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical, Ab Tak Chhappan, Apaharan, Raajneeti, Welcome and Natsamrat. He also worked as a writer and director, and he received the Padma Shri in 2013.
He kept working until the end. His recent films included Housefull 5, O'Romeo and Subedaar, and in March this year he appeared in Prakash Jha's web series Sankalp.
Tributes pour in
Tributes came from across the film industry and public life. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Patekar was as generous in spirit as he was commanding on screen. He credited the actor with defining an entire era of Marathi and Hindi cinema, from Krantiveer to Natsamrat, and called his death a great loss to the industry. Actor Akshay Kumar, who worked with Patekar on the Welcome and Housefull films, was among the colleagues who paid their respects.
