Nana Patekar dead: Bollywood legend dies after texting friend to say he felt ‘unwell’

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Bollywood legend Nana Patekar has died aged 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa on the south western coast of India.

Patekar was one of the most recognisable faces of Hindi and Marathi cinema, who won three National Film Awards and was known for playing layered, often volatile characters.

The esteemed actor was found found unresponsive at his house in the coastal neighbourhood of Dona Paula in the early hours of Thursday.

He had been at home with his nephew Prasad and had been complaining of a headache since the previous evening.

He had messaged a friend to tell them he was feeling unwell at around 2.30am, according to Dr Shekhar Salkar, chief of the oncology department at Manipal Hospital.

Patekar had begun sweating and “slowly becoming unconscious” by the time his friend reached his house at 4am. Emergency medics tried to revive him via cardiac resuscitation for about 45 minutes.

Nana Patekar has died aged 75AFP/GettyHe was pronounced dead at 5.20am. His son Malhar Patekar, was in Pune and has left for Goa, according to reports.

A medico-legal case has been registered and Patekar’s body was taken to Goa Medical College for a post-mortem examination.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led tributes to the actor on Thursday, praising Patekar’s varied career and outspoken personality.

“Few actors possessed the intensity, individuality and unmistakable presence that Shri Nana Patekar Ji had,” Modi wrote on X.

“He was also admired for his frank and forthright views, never hesitating to express what he believed in.”

Riteish Deshmukh, who appeared with Patekar in Housefull 5, wrote: “I am shocked beyond words. Feels like a truck has hit me. Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nana Patekar ji.

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“An actor par excellence, incomparable to anyone, he carved his place in people’s hearts with his own unique style and brand of acting. There wasn’t a role or a character he couldn’t perform,” he wrote.

Born Vishwanath Patekar in the western Indian state of Maharashtra in 1951, he was known for his work in films like Natsamrat, Wajood, Parinda, Ab Tak Chhappan and Yeshwant.

Most recently, he had a cameo in the Prime film Subedaar, which stars Anil Kapoor, Radhika Madan and Saurabh Shukla.