Indian actor Nana Patekar, known for Hindi and Marathi cinema, dies aged 75

Indian actor Nana Patekar has died aged 75. Reuters, citing local media, reported that he died on Thursday. BBC News said he was found unconscious at his home in the early hours of Thursday.

Patekar worked in Hindi and Marathi cinema and was also active in theatre. Al Jazeera reported that he was pronounced dead at a hospital. BBC News said he was rushed to hospital and could not be revived.

Circumstances of his death

According to BBC News, Patekar's son Malhar told BBC Marathi that his father had died in Goa. BBC News also reported that Patekar was found unconscious at his home in Goa in the early hours of Thursday and was rushed to hospital.

BBC News reported that Dr Shekhar Salkar of Manipal Hospital in Goa told the ANI news agency: "Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived."

Al Jazeera reported that the Press Trust of India, citing a doctor at the hospital, said Patekar died of a suspected cardiac arrest. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include a confirmed cause of death or the exact time of death. They also do not include a formal statement from the hospital or the family, and do not describe funeral arrangements.

Career

Patekar made his film debut in Gaman in 1978. He won three National Film Awards and was known for his roles in Parinda and Krantiveer.

According to BBC News, the three awards were for Parinda, Krantiveer and Agni Sakshi. BBC News said Parinda (1989) also won him a Filmfare Award, and Krantiveer won him the national award for best actor. It added that he directed the film Prahaar, in which he played Major Chauhan.

Al Jazeera reported that Patekar was born in 1951 in the western state of Maharashtra. It said he received the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours. It also said he gained wider international recognition through Mira Nair's Oscar-nominated film Salaam Bombay! According to Al Jazeera, he is survived by his wife and son.

BBC News reported that in 2015 Patekar and actor Makarand Anaspure set up the Naam Foundation. The foundation has worked on farmer welfare and water conservation in Maharashtra. BBC News said Patekar publicly criticised governments and ministers, and was involved in activism on farmers' issues.

Tributes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute in a post on X. BBC News quoted him as saying Patekar's work would "remain etched in the memory of generations" and that his death left "a vast void in the artistic world". Al Jazeera quoted Modi as saying: "He brought remarkable versatility and creativity to every role and gave us characters that will be remembered for generations."

Actor Akshay Kumar, who appeared on screen with Patekar, also paid tribute. Al Jazeera quoted him as saying: "He was one of those rare actors 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."

What each side says

According to BBC News, actor Tanushree Dutta alleged in 2018 that Patekar sexually harassed her on a film set about a decade earlier. BBC News said the allegations helped spark India's #MeToo movement. Patekar denied the allegations, according to BBC News. It reported that in 2019 he was cleared after police said they had not found sufficient evidence against him. The reports do not include any response from Dutta following his death.

Analysis

Patekar's death is confirmed by several outlets, but key details still rest on secondary accounts. The cause of death is described only as a suspected cardiac arrest. Further statements from the hospital or the family could clarify this. Reported tributes so far, including from Narendra Modi and Akshay Kumar, focus on his acting; BBC News also highlighted his work on farmers' issues. His record also includes the 2018 allegations, which he denied and which police in 2019 said lacked sufficient evidence. How tributes and coverage weigh these parts of his life may vary between audiences. The reports reviewed do not indicate how this will be addressed in any official or industry commemorations.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.