Nana Patekar dies at 75 after cardiac arrest in Goa

Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar died on October 8 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. He was 75. He was cremated later that day with full state honours at his farmhouse in Pune, attended by family, friends, fans, politicians and fellow actors.

Tributes came from across the film industry. Anil Kapoor remembered Patekar as a close friend and “the world’s greatest actor,” while Madhuri Dixit called him a treasured and legendary performer. Director Amol Palekar, who cast him against type as a charming confidence trickster in the 1990 musical *Thodasa Roomani Ho Jayen*, said Patekar had a magnetic screen presence and recalled speaking with him two days before his death.

Patekar remained professionally active. His most recently screened film, *The Confession of Mary*, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, while projects including *Shakti Shalini*, *Eetha*, *Vedantam* and *Kuku Ki Kundali* were awaiting release or still in production. He had also been scheduled to appear on the premiere of Madhuri Dixit’s Marathi quiz show *Kon Honar Crorepati* and as the final guest on Shekhar Suman’s talk show *Shekhar Tonite*. Sonali Bendre replaced him on the quiz show, while Suman cancelled his finale.

Patekar’s death also renewed discussion of Tanushree Dutta’s sexual-harassment allegations against him. After Dutta faced criticism for her response to his death, actor Sandhya Mridul and singer Sona Mohapatra publicly defended her right to speak about her experience.

Beyond acting, Patekar was known as an enthusiast of Indian classical and folk music. Three days before his death, he played the traditional Goan percussion instrument ghumot at an event in Panaji.