Acclaimed Indian actor Nana Patekar dies aged 75

What the report says

Indian actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar has died at the age of 75, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on wire agency coverage. The article says he was pronounced dead after a suspected cardiac arrest, with the reported death taking place in India on Thursday. Patekar was widely known for his intense screen presence and for roles in Hindi- and Marathi-language cinema over a career that lasted nearly five decades.

Born in 1951 in Maharashtra, in western India, Patekar made his film debut in the 1978 Hindi movie Gaman. Al Jazeera reported that he later gained acclaim for films including Parinda and Krantiveer, and reached wider international recognition through Mira Nair’s Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay!. The report also noted that he was regarded for portraying complex and unconventional characters, and for working across both serious and comic roles.

The article said Patekar won three National Film Awards and received the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and actor Akshay Kumar were among those cited mourning his death and praising his versatility. Patekar is survived by his wife and son, according to the report. His death matters because he was one of Indian cinema’s most prominent and distinctive performers, with influence across film and theatre.