Actor Nana Patekar died at 5.20 am on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence, Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Department of Oncology at Manipal Hospital, told ANI over the phone.
Sharing the screen with you in *Bluffmaster* and *Housefull 5* was my fortune. He made his acting debut with the 1978 film ‘Gaman’ and went on to establish himself as a celebrated actor with performances in films such as ‘Parinda,’ ‘Prahar,’ ‘Angaar,’ ‘Krantiveer,’ ‘Tiranga,’ ‘Khamoshi’ and ‘Ab Tak Chhappan,’ among others. Indian Cinema has lost one of its fiercest, most genuine and irreplaceable voices.
Casting director Mukesh Chhabra wrote, “I am just shocked. This is unbelievable. Rest in peace, Nana Bhai. Nana is gone… This single sentence has left my mind numb, speechless. You were the sky of acting, boundless in comparison. With your unique style, you built an unshakable home in the hearts of audiences. Through your institution, the eternal stream of humanity continued to flow. But working with you in a Marathi film— This unfulfilled longing will haunt me for life. West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari wrote, “Deeply shocked and heartbroken to wake up to the devastating news of the sudden passing of legendary actor Shri Nana Patekar Ji. Nana Ji didn’t merely play roles; he breathed raw, unapologetic truth into every character. From the explosive power of Parinda, Krantiveer and Prahaar to the gripping intensity of Ab Tak Chhappan, his craft set a benchmark that few could ever hope to reach. Khushbu Sundar wrote, “This is unbelievably shocking. I am numb. Devastated infact. An actor par excellence. A man with his own mind and beliefs. A simple hearted human. Had the privilege and honor to work with him. You will be miss Nana Bhau. Mumbai CM Devendra Fadnavis wrote, “The untimely and sudden ‘exit’ of veteran actor and my close friend Nana Patekar is deeply shocking and heartbreaking. I am immensely saddened. Nana was as great a human being as he was a towering figure on screen. He gave both the Marathi and Hindi film industries an entire era of cinema. Above all, audiences were deeply moved by the image of him as a patriot. Nana Patekar was one of the prominent actors in Hindi and Marathi cinema.
Actor Riteish Deshmukh wrote, “Today, words have failed me; it’s as if lightning has struck my heart.
