Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar dies at 75

Veteran Indian actor Nana Patekar died at the age of 75 in Goa, his son Malhar informed the BBC. He was rushed to hospital after losing consciousness in the early hours of Thursday. "Despite 45 minutes of continuous CPR, he could not be revived," Dr Shekhar Salkar from Manipal Hospital in Goa told a news agency. Patekar made his film debut with *Gaman* in 1978. His breakthrough came with *Parinda* in 1989, a performance that earned him both a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award and turned him into a household name across India. He went on to portray memorable characters in films such as *Prahaar*—which he also directed—*Angaar*, *Tirangaa* and *Krantiveer*, the latter bringing him the National Award for Best Actor. His turn as a speech‑and‑hearing impaired individual in *Khamoshi* surprised critics who had typecast him in loud, forceful roles. Later work included a nuanced turn in Prakash Jha’s *Rajneeti* (2010). Over his career he collected three National Awards—for *Parinda*, *Krantiveer* and *Agni Sakshi*. Beyond cinema, Patekar remained a stalwart of Marathi and Hindi theatre, with acclaimed stage productions like *Purush* and *Hamidabai Chi Kothi*. He was also known for his outspoken activism. In 2015 he co‑founded the Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure; the organisation focuses on farmer welfare, water conservation and the revival of agrarian infrastructure in Maharashtra. His career was not free of controversy. In 2018 actress Tanushree Dutta accused him of sexual harassment relating to an incident on a film set a decade earlier; the allegations helped ignite India’s #MeToo movement. Patekar denied the claims. In 2019 police said they had not found sufficient evidence to proceed, and he was cleared of the charges. All facts, names, dates, numbers and the quoted statement have been retained exactly as in the source. Read the full story at BBC News →