Veteran actor Nana Patekar died at 75 after a severe cardiac arrest at his Goa residence on Thursday, October 8. Doctors said, “Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived.” He started his film career in 1978 and remained active in cinema until his recent final roles.
Veteran actor Nana Patekar has passed away at the age of 75 after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. He was declared dead at 5:20 AM on Thursday, October 8. Doctors attempted to revive the actor through continuous CPR for around 45 minutes, but he could not be saved.
Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, confirmed the news and said that a medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered. Further details regarding the circumstances of his death are expected following the post-mortem examination.
“Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away at 5:20 AM today after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence. Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived. A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem will be conducted,” Dr. Shekhar Salkar said.
Nana Patekar’s journey in cinema
Nana Patekar began his film career with the 1978 film Gaman. While his early years in cinema were gradual, he went on to establish himself as one of the most distinctive actors in Hindi and Marathi cinema.
His performances in films such as Salaam Bombay! and Parinda brought him wider recognition. Salaam Bombay!, directed by Mira Nair, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In Parinda, Patekar played a gangster, a performance that earned him the National Film Award and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.
The making of Parinda was also physically demanding for the actor. He suffered serious burns while filming a real-fire sequence and spent months recovering in hospital. Earlier, he had also been stabbed during the shooting of Salaam Bombay!.
Patekar later moved behind the camera with Prahaar: The Final Attack, which he directed and starred in. For the 1991 film, he underwent training with the Territorial Army.
Patekar remained active on screen in the years leading up to his death. His most recent released film was Subedaar, the Amazon Prime Video action drama starring Anil Kapoor. The film premiered on March 5, 2026, with Patekar making a special appearance as Lance Naik Nana Waghmare.
Before that, he had a substantial theatrical role in Vishal Bhardwaj’s O’Romeo, which released on February 13, 2026. He played Ismail Khan, the chief of the Mumbai Intelligence Bureau, in the film starring Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri.