Veteran actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. He was 75.
According to hospital sources, doctors tried to revive him for almost 45 minutes after he was brought in, but there was no response. The actor was declared dead at 5:20 am.
Just earlier this month, prominent Indian screenwriter, novelist, actor and film director Ranbir Pushp had spoken highly of Nana Patekar and the generous heart he had, which was known to all.
Not only had Ranbir Pushp dismissed rumours about Nana Patekar's temper, which some claimed could prove problematic for producers, but he also spoke of how deeply the actor felt for the plight of families affected by farmer suicides.
Nana Patekar chose not to buy a car worth Rs 1.5 crore, and instead divided that amount into Rs 15,000 cheques to distribute among the affected families.
Ranbir Pushp said on Siddharth Kannan's podcast, "He was watching the news one day and saw families grieving after so many farmers committed suicide. The next day he was supposed to buy a Rs 1.5 crore car, but instead he called his artiste friend and told him to make Rs 15,000 cheques and distribute them among the families of the farmers. The one who wipes the farmers' tears can't cause harm to anyone. He formed the NAAM Foundation, which has collected countless funds till today. He lives on a farm himself."
On Nana Patekar's Temper Issues
Ranbir Pushp further reiterated that Nana Patekar only lost his temper where it was valid. He recalled an incident where the actor had reprimanded a fellow citizen for littering the roads.
Ranbir Pushp recalled, "He stopped the car and picked up the bottle. He went ahead and stopped the guy driving that car at the traffic signal. He asked him to roll down the window. Nana told him, 'Who will keep Bharat swachh (clean)? Gandhi ji is gone, but you're still around on this planet. So, is it not your duty as a citizen of this country to keep it clean? Should I throw the bottle inside your car, assuming it's a dustbin?'"
Ranbir Pushp had worked with Nana Patekar on Agni Sakshi, where he was the screenwriter and the latter the lead actor.
About Nana Patekar
Born on January 1, 1951, in Maharashtra, Nana Patekar established himself as an actor known for his intensity, dialogue delivery, and ability to portray complex and unconventional characters. A recipient of three National Film Awards, he was known for his work in films such as Natsamrat, Wajood, Parinda, Ab Tak Chhappan and Yeshwant, among others.
He made his Bollywood debut in the 1978 film 'Gaman'. During the early 2000s, Patekar received praise for his performances in Shakti: The Power (2002), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Apaharan (2005), and Taxi No 9211 (2006). He also received widespread praise for playing the gangster 'Uday Shetty' in the comedy Welcome (2007) and its sequel Welcome Back (2015).
The actor also played a supporting role in the comedy thriller 'Housefull 5'.
He was also a part of the political thriller Raajneeti (2010) - which earned him his fifth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In 2016, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in Marathi film 'Natsamrat'.
Patekar was also a recipient of the Padma Shri - which was awarded to him in 2013 for his contribution to cinema and the arts.
He was also known for playback singing in the films Yeshwant (1997), Wajood (1998), and Aanch (2003).
Nana Patekar was last seen publicly four days ago in Goa's Dona Paula, where he attended and addressed the Samraat Club International installation ceremony.
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