Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away on 8 October 2026 at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, at the age of 75. Doctors at Manipal Hospital declared him dead at around 5:10 am after about 45 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation following a cardiac arrest. His death closes a five decade career across Hindi and Marathi cinema marked by three National Film Awards and the Padma Shri in 2013.
Is Nana Patekar Alive or Dead?
Nana Patekar is no more. Nana Patekar died on 8 October 2026 at the age of 75 after a cardiac arrest at his home in Dona Paula, Goa. Doctors at Manipal Hospital tried cardiopulmonary resuscitation for about 45 minutes but could not revive him.
Nana Patekar was found unconscious at his Goa residence in the early hours of Thursday. A friend received a message from Nana Patekar at around 3:30 am in which he said he felt unwell. The friend saw the message at around 4 am, reached the house and called an ambulance. Medical care started on the way to the hospital.
Doctors at Manipal Hospital in Goa continued resuscitation efforts and declared Nana Patekar dead at around 5:10 am on 8 October 2026. The hospital registered a medico-legal case and ordered a post-mortem examination to record the exact cause of death. Cardiac arrest, which means a sudden stop of the heart’s pumping action, was reported as the immediate cause.
Four days earlier, on 4 October 2026, Nana Patekar made his last public appearance at the installation ceremony of Samraat Club International at Taj Cidade de Goa in Dona Paula. Speaking in Marathi at that event, Nana Patekar spoke about death and time and asked himself whether he was able to do what he wanted to do in life.
Age, Birth Place and Biography
Nana Patekar was 75 years old at the time of his death. Nana Patekar was born as Vishwanath Patekar on 1 January 1951 in Murud-Janjira in the present day Raigad district of Maharashtra. People called him Nana from childhood, and the short name later became his screen identity.
Nana Patekar grew up in a Marathi family. His father worked as a businessman and painter, and his mother managed the home. Nana Patekar studied commercial art at the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art in Mumbai and worked in theatre before entering films. He trained with noted theatre director Vijaya Mehta and acted in Marathi stage plays.
Nana Patekar made his Hindi film debut with a small role in Gaman in 1978 and his Marathi film debut with Sinhasan in 1979. Early roles in films such as Ankush, Pratighaat and Salaam Bombay brought him attention for his intense acting style and sharp dialogue delivery. That style, marked by a heavy voice, short pauses and sudden bursts of anger, became his trademark and set him apart from the romantic heroes of his time.
Family, Wife and Personal Life
Nana Patekar married Neelkanti Patekar, a former bank officer, in 1978. The couple had two sons. Their elder son Durvasa Patekar died at the age of two due to illness. Their younger son is Malhar Patekar. Nana Patekar and Neelkanti later separated, and Nana Patekar did not remarry.
Nana Patekar remained close to his mother Nirmala Patekar, who lived with him until her death on 29 January 2019 at the age of 99. Nana Patekar also had two brothers, Ashok Patekar and Dilip Patekar. Despite long success in films, Nana Patekar lived a plain life in a small one bedroom flat in Andheri, Mumbai, cooked his own food and kept away from luxury. He often said he preferred farming and quiet time at his farmhouse near Pune to film parties.
Filmography and Landmark Roles
Nana Patekar acted in more than 90 films across Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Kannada in a career from 1978 to 2026. Nana Patekar played heroes, villains, cops, soldiers, fathers and comic gangsters with equal force. Directors valued him for method preparation. He often lived with real soldiers, cops and villagers to learn their speech and body language before a shoot.
Nana Patekar achieved his breakthrough as the gangster Anna Seth in Parinda in 1989. The role won him wide praise and changed his career from character roles to leading parts. In the 1990s Nana Patekar headlined a run of strong films including Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Angaar, Tirangaa, Krantiveer, Agni Sakshi, Khamoshi The Musical, Ghulam-E-Mustafa, Yeshwant and Wajood.
In the 2000s Nana Patekar played the encounter specialist Sadhu Agashe in Ab Tak Chhappan in 2004, a gang leader in Apaharan in 2005 and a sharp tongued taxi driver in Taxi No. 9211 in 2006. Nana Patekar reached a new generation as the good hearted gangster Uday Shetty in the comedy Welcome in 2007 and its sequel Welcome Back in 2015. Later work included the political strategist Brij Gopal in Raajneeti in 2010, police officer Rakesh Maria in The Attacks of 26/11 in 2013, scientist Dr. Balram Bhargava in The Vaccine War in 2023 and family elder Pratap Singhania in Vanvaas in 2024. His final screen appearances included Housefull 5 in 2025 and O Romeo in 2026.
Iconic Films and Characters
Nana Patekar directed and starred as Major Chauhan in Prahaar The Final Attack in 1991, a film about army values and city life. Nana Patekar played the fiery reformer Pratap Narayan Tilak in Krantiveer in 1994, the cruel husband Vishwanath in Agni Sakshi in 1996 and the deaf father Joseph in Khamoshi The Musical in 1996. Nana Patekar played the tough cop Yeshwant Lohar in Yeshwant in 1997, often spelled Yashwant in search records, and the patriot Shivajirao Wagle in Tirangaa in 1993.
Nana Patekar delivered one of his finest performances as retired stage actor Ganpat Belwalkar in the Marathi film Natsamrat in 2016. The role won him top Marathi acting honours and is often ranked among the best Marathi performances of the decade. Nana Patekar is the only actor along with Irrfan Khan to win Filmfare Awards in the Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Villain categories, which shows his rare range.
| Film | Year | Role and Note |
|---|---|---|
| Parinda | 1989 | Anna Seth, gangster who won him first National Film Award |
| Prahaar The Final Attack | 1991 | Major Chauhan, also director and writer |
| Tirangaa | 1993 | Shivajirao Wagle, patriotic officer |
| Krantiveer | 1994 | Pratap Narayan Tilak, role that won him Best Actor National Award |
| Agni Sakshi | 1996 | Vishwanath, abusive husband who won him second Supporting Actor National Award |
| Khamoshi The Musical | 1996 | Joseph Braganza, deaf father |
| Yeshwant | 1997 | Yeshwant Lohar, honest and hot tempered cop |
| Ab Tak Chhappan | 2004 | Sadhu Agashe, Mumbai encounter specialist |
| Welcome | 2007 | Uday Shetty, comic gangster loved by young viewers |
| Natsamrat | 2016 | Ganpat Belwalkar, retired Marathi stage actor |
Awards and National Recognition
Nana Patekar won three National Film Awards, which are the central government’s top film honours decided by a national jury each year. Nana Patekar won Best Supporting Actor for Parinda, Best Actor for Krantiveer and Best Supporting Actor for Agni Sakshi. This record places him among the most awarded male actors of his generation.
The President of India conferred the Padma Shri in 2013 on Nana Patekar for his contribution to cinema and arts. The Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in India after the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan. The award was announced on the eve of the 64th Republic Day and presented in April 2013 to 80 Padma Shri winners that year.
Nana Patekar also won four Filmfare Awards in Hindi cinema and top honours in Marathi cinema for Dr. Prakash Baba Amte The Real Hero and Natsamrat. The Government of Maharashtra gave him the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award in 2013. His role in Ab Tak Chhappan won him the Best Actor prize from the Bengal Film Journalists Association.
| Honour | Year | Film or Field |
|---|---|---|
| National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor | 1990 announced for 1989 films | Parinda |
| National Film Award for Best Actor | 1995 announced for 1994 films | Krantiveer |
| National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor | 1997 announced for 1996 films | Agni Sakshi |
| Padma Shri | 2013 | Arts and cinema |
| Filmfare Best Villain | 1992 and 2006 | Angaar and Apaharan |
Service in the Indian Army and Work Through Naam Foundation
Nana Patekar joined the Territorial Army, which is the volunteer reserve force of the Indian Army, as a captain in the late 1980s. Nana Patekar underwent nearly three years of training with the Maratha Light Infantry to prepare for Prahaar. During the Kargil War in 1999, Nana Patekar sought permission from then Defence Minister George Fernandes and spent about 60 days with troops in areas including Dras, Leh, Kupwara, Baramulla and Sopore. Nana Patekar worked with a Quick Reaction Team, helped in base hospitals and later said he lost about 20 kg during the service. Nana Patekar retired from the Territorial Army as an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in 2013.
Nana Patekar used the same discipline in social work. In September 2015 Nana Patekar co-founded the Naam Foundation in Pune with Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure. The Naam Foundation is a non governmental organisation that helps drought hit farmers in Marathwada and Vidarbha in Maharashtra. The foundation started with direct help of ₹15,000 cheques, blankets, clothes and medical kits to families of farmers who died by suicide. In August 2015 Nana Patekar helped 62 families in Vidarbha and in September 2015 helped 113 families in Latur and Osmanabad.
The Naam Foundation later moved from cash relief to long term water security. The foundation deepens streams, builds farm ponds and percolation tanks, desilts dams, repairs canals and supports river rejuvenation, group farming, sewing clusters for widows, school buildings, health camps and tree planting. The foundation collected ₹80 lakh on its first day and more than ₹6.5 crore within two weeks, which showed the public trust in Nana Patekar. Nana Patekar donated his award money and film fees to the cause and asked companies to verify field work before donating.
Funeral, Last Rites and Tributes
The Government of Maharashtra announced a funeral with full state honours for Nana Patekar in recognition of his service to Hindi and Marathi cinema and to public life. Reports said the body would be brought from Goa to Pune. The last rites are expected at his farmhouse in Donje near Pune, a place linked with his farming life and quiet routine. The exact time of the funeral had not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death and praised Nana Patekar for intensity, individuality and versatility across Hindi and Marathi films. Modi also noted his frank public views and said his passing leaves a deep void. Actors Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Riteish Deshmukh and R Madhavan were among those who paid tribute. Akshay Kumar recalled working with Nana Patekar in Welcome and Housefull 5 and remembered his voice and honesty on screen. Anupam Kher called him one of the finest actors and remembered his direct and warm nature. Riteish Deshmukh called him an actor beyond comparison in hero, villain and comedy roles and recalled his charity work off screen.
Key Takeaways
- Veteran actor Nana Patekar died on 8 October 2026 at the age of 75 after a cardiac arrest at Dona Paula in Goa.
- Nana Patekar was born as Vishwanath Patekar on 1 January 1951 in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra and trained at the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai.
- Nana Patekar won three National Film Awards for Parinda, Krantiveer and Agni Sakshi.
- Nana Patekar received the Padma Shri in 2013 for contribution to cinema and arts.
- Nana Patekar served with the Maratha Light Infantry during the Kargil War in 1999 and retired from the Territorial Army as Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in 2013.
- Nana Patekar co-founded the Naam Foundation in September 2015 with Makarand Anaspure for drought relief in Maharashtra, and Maharashtra announced a funeral with full state honours at Donje near Pune.
