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Patekar suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa
ByVikas Pandey
BBC News, Delhi
Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar has died at the age of 75 in Goa, his son Malhar told the BBC.
Patekar was rushed to the hospital after falling unconscious at his flat in the early hours of Thursday.
"Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived," Dr Shekhar Salkar from Manipal Hospital in Goa told a news agency.
Patekar acted in dozens of hit Bollywood films but he was also a towering personality in theatre and regional cinema, particularly in the Marathi language.
He made his debut with the film Gaman in 1978 and continued to play smaller roles in several films. But the intensity that he brought on the screen was hard to miss and soon he landed a role in Parinda in 1989, making him a household name across India. His portrayal of the volatile gangster Anna won him his first National Film Award and Filmfare Award.
He didn't look back after this and played many memorable characters in several films through the 1990s. The range of the characters he played showcased the depth of his acting talent and mastery over his craft.
His portrayal of Major Chauhan in Prahaar – a film he also directed – won him praise. Then there was the villainous character of Majid Khan in Angaar, the patriotic firebrand of Tirangaa, and, most notably, Pratap Narayan Tilak in Krantiveer, for which he won the national award for best actor.
Just when critics thought that playing loud characters was his mainstay, he proved them wrong by delivering a mesmerising performance in Khamoshi as a person who could not hear or speak.
Image source, Getty Images
Born in Maharashtra in 1951, Patekar began his career in theatre before moving into films
Director Prakash Jha's Rajneeti in 2010 added another dimension to his acting as his portrayal of an astute politician was delivered with perfection.
The breadth of Patekar's career showcases the depth of his talent. He has played gangsters, soldiers, policemen, politicians, patriots, villains, comic characters and tragic figures, while moving between Hindi and Marathi cinema and sometimes also working behind the camera as a director and writer.
His three national awards for Parinda, Krantiveer and Agni Sakshi are a testament to his career.
Patekar was also an influential figure in both Marathi and Hindi theatre. Before cinema made him a familiar face, he spent years working in theatre, where he developed the intensity and discipline that would become hallmarks of his screen performances.
Purush and Hamidabai Chi Kothi were two of his most famous plays. Despite being successful in films, he remained active in theatre throughout his professional life.
Image source, Getty Images
Patekar was also an influential figure in both Marathi and Hindi theatre
Patekar was also known for his activism and didn't mince his words while criticising the government of the day. He was direct, and almost brazen and unapologetic, when it came to criticising ministers and their policies and that too quite publicly.
Issues related to farmers were particularly close to his heart.
His work moved beyond public appeals: in 2015 he and actor Makarand Anaspure established the Naam Foundation, which has worked on farmer welfare, water conservation and the revival of rural infrastructure in Maharashtra.
But his career was not without controversies.
In 2018, actor Tanushree Dutta's allegation that Patekar sexually harassed her on a film set 10 years ago resurfaced, helpign spark the #MeToo movement in India. Patekar denied the allegations, calling them a lie. In 2019, he was cleared of the charges after police said they had not found sufficient evidence against him.
