Nana Patekar Texted Friend He Was Unwell Hours Before His Death

Veteran actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar died of cardiac arrest at his home in Goa on Thursday morning, aged 75. According to doctors, the actor had contacted a friend just hours before his death, saying that he was not feeling well.

Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Department of Oncology at Manipal Hospital in Goa, said Patekar sent a message to his friend at around 2:30 am. The friend did not see the message immediately as it was late at night. Patekar later called him, prompting the friend to go to the actor’s residence.

The friend arrived at around 4 am and found Patekar sweating and gradually losing consciousness. His caretaker was then sent to the hospital to bring an ambulance and an emergency medical team.

The hospital team reached the residence and immediately began cardiac massage after finding Patekar unresponsive. He was shifted to Manipal Hospital at around 4:20-4:30 am.

Doctors continued efforts to revive him for around 45 minutes to an hour. However, Patekar was brought to the hospital without signs of life and could not be revived. He was declared dead at around 5:30 am.

Since the death was treated as a medico-legal case, police were informed. Patekar’s body was subsequently taken to Goa Medical College for a post-mortem examination. His family was not present at the residence at the time, with friends and a caretaker accompanying him.

Born Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951, the actor made his Hindi film debut with Gaman in 1978. He went on to establish himself as one of Indian cinema’s most respected performers, known for his powerful performances across a wide range of roles.

His breakthrough came through films including Parinda and Salaam Bombay!. He later delivered memorable performances in films such as Krantiveer, Angaar and Apaharan.

Patekar achieved a rare distinction in Hindi cinema by winning Filmfare Awards across three major acting categories — Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor and Best Villain.

His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the film industry and beyond. Fans have also been remembering some of his most iconic characters and dialogues from a career spanning more than four decades.