Veteran actor Nana Patekar, one of the most distinctive performers Hindi and Marathi cinema has produced, died on the morning of Thursday, October 8, 2026. He was 75.

According to Hindustan Times, his son Malhar Patekar confirmed the news to local media. The actor was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, and was rushed to Manipal Hospital, where he was declared dead at around 5:20 am.

What doctors said about Nana Patekar's death

Dr Shekhar Salkar, chief of the oncology department at Manipal Hospital, told news agency ANI that the actor had suffered a cardiac arrest at home. "Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived," he said, as quoted by NDTV. "A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem will be conducted."

Hindustan Times reported that Patekar remained in asystole throughout the resuscitation attempt. NDTV reported that his son Malhar, who was in Pune when the news broke, had left for Goa. The family has not yet shared details of the funeral.

From Gaman to Parinda: how Nana Patekar became a star

Born Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951, in Murud-Janjira in what is now Maharashtra's Raigad district, Patekar studied at Mumbai's Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art before turning to theatre, Variety notes. He made his Hindi film debut in Muzaffar Ali's Gaman in 1978 and spent the next decade in smaller roles, including a part in Mira Nair's Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay! (1988).

The turning point was Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Parinda (1989). His volatile gangster Anna won him the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He then directed and starred in Prahaar: The Final Attack (1991), training with the Army to play an officer.

Krantiveer (1994) brought him the National Film Award for Best Actor, and Agni Sakshi (1996) earned him a second National Award for Best Supporting Actor. The same year he played Manisha Koirala's deaf father in Khamoshi: The Musical. NDTV notes he was the first actor in Hindi cinema to win Filmfare Awards in all three major acting categories: Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor and Best Villain, the last for Angaar (1992) and Apaharan (2005).

Uday Shetty, Ab Tak Chhappan and a second act

A new generation discovered him through comedy. As the movie-mad don Uday Shetty in Welcome (2007), a role he returned to in Welcome Back (2015), he created what NDTV calls a pop-culture meme staple. In the same decade he played an encounter specialist in Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), a taxi driver in Taxi No. 9211 (2006) and a politician in Raajneeti (2010).

He remained a major name in Marathi cinema too, winning Filmfare Marathi Best Actor awards for Dr. Prakash Baba Amte: The Real Hero and Natsamrat, according to Variety. He voiced Shere Khan in the Hindi version of The Jungle Book (2016) and appeared opposite Rajinikanth in Kaala (2018). His recent credits include The Vaccine War, Housefull 5, Vishal Bhardwaj's O'Romeo with Shahid Kapoor, and Subedaar with Anil Kapoor, released on Prime Video this year.

Padma Shri, the Army and farmers

Patekar received the Padma Shri in 2013. Variety reports that he was commissioned into the Territorial Army in 1988 and later rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 2015 he co-founded the Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure to support drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra.

His later years also included controversy. In 2018, actor Tanushree Dutta repeated an allegation of harassment against him dating to 2008. Mumbai police filed a closure report in 2019, and Patekar consistently denied the allegations, Variety notes.

Bollywood pays tribute to Nana Patekar

Tributes began within hours, Hindustan Times reported. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra wrote, "I am just shocked. This is unbelievable. Rest in peace, Nana Bhai." Riteish Deshmukh, who worked with him in Bluffmaster and Housefull 5, called him "the sky of acting" and wrote that "today marks the end of an era."

Actor Khushbu Sundar described him as "a simple hearted human," and Neil Nitin Mukesh called him "a true legend of Indian cinema." Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described him as a close friend and recalled his work with farmers during droughts, saying his passing is "a great loss to the world of cinema and to acting."

Frequently asked questions

How did Nana Patekar die?

According to Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital, quoted by ANI, Nana Patekar suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa and could not be revived despite 45 minutes of CPR. A post-mortem will be conducted.

How old was Nana Patekar?

He was 75. NDTV reports he was born on January 1, 1951.

What are Nana Patekar's most famous films?

His best-known films include Parinda, Prahaar, Krantiveer, Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi: The Musical, Ab Tak Chhappan, Welcome and Natsamrat.

What awards did Nana Patekar win?

He won three National Film Awards, several Filmfare Awards including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Villain, and the Padma Shri in 2013.

Cover photo: joegoaukiffi3 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0