Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar passed away in Goa at the age of 75. He was renowned for his powerful performances and unique delivery of dialog. Patekar, one of the most well-known figures in Indian film, won three National Film Awards and gained recognition for his portrayal of nuanced, frequently explosive characters. He was also well-known in Marathi-language theater and film. He was discovered unconscious at his Goan residence early on Thursday morning and sent to the hospital. Around 5:20 a.m., Patekar, whose real name was Vishwanath Patekar, was discovered unconscious at his house and taken to Manipal Hospital in Dona Paula. He was not able to be revived after 45 minutes of nonstop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
After making his screen debut in the 1978 movie Gaman, Patekar went on to play supporting parts in a number of other movies. However, his on-screen intensity was difficult to ignore, and in 1989 he was cast in Parinda, which quickly made him a household figure in India. He received both the Filmfare Award and his first National Film Award for his portrayal of the unstable, nasty mobster Anna. Throughout the 1990s, he played a number of iconic roles in movies and didn’t look back. The variety of roles he portrayed demonstrated the breadth of his acting ability and skill.
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.
His performances in several commercially successful films during the 1990s brought further acclaim. These included Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (1992), Angaar (1992), for which he won the Filmfare Award for Best Villain, and Tirangaa (1993).
For Krantiveer (1994), he won both the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. His performance in Agni Sakshi (1996) earned him his second National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also received acclaim for Khamoshi: The Musical (1996).
In the early 2000s, Patekar earned praise for his performances in Shakti: The Power (2002), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Apaharan (2005) and Taxi No. 9211 (2006). Apaharan earned him his second Filmfare Award for Best Villain.
He received widespread praise for his portrayal of the good-hearted gangster Uday Shetty in Welcome (2007) and its sequel, Welcome Back (2015), as well as for playing a politician in the political thriller Raajneeti (2010).
