Veteran Indian actor Vishwanath “Nana” Patekar has died at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa, according to Indian media reports.
Reports said Patekar experienced chest pain and was found unconscious when a medical team arrived at his home. Doctors reportedly performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation before taking him to hospital. ANI, citing Goa’s Manipal Hospital oncologist Dr Shehkar Salkar, reported that the actor was pronounced dead in the early hours of Thursday.
A medico-legal case has reportedly been registered, with authorities expected to conduct a post-mortem examination to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
Patekar was a prominent figure in both Hindi and Marathi cinema, with occasional appearances in Tamil and Kannada productions. His acting career began in 1978 with the film “Gaman” and continued for nearly five decades.
Over the years, he earned critical recognition for his work, including performances in Mira Nair’s Academy Award-nominated “Salaam Bombay!” and several other acclaimed films. He received three National Film Awards, winning Best Supporting Actor for “Parinda” and “Agni Sakshi”, and Best Actor for “Krantiveer”.
In recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema, Patekar was awarded the Padma Shri in 2013, one of the country’s highest civilian honours.
A new generation of audiences also embraced him for his comic performance as gangster Uday Shetty in the 2007 hit “Welcome”.
