Nana Patekar’s death at 75 has sent shockwaves through Indian cinema, with actors, filmmakers, politicians and colleagues remembering the veteran performer as an actor without equal and a fiercely honest, compassionate human being.
Patekar died of cardiac arrest at his Goa residence at 5:20am on Thursday, 8 October. Doctors attempted CPR for around 45 minutes but could not revive him.
Akshay Kumar, who worked with Patekar in Welcome and Housefull 5, remembered his “voice”, “intensity” and “honesty”, calling him “truly one of a kind”. Riteish Deshmukh described him as an “actor par excellence” who could master a larger-than-life hero, terrifying villain or poker-faced comic, while praising his charity work and recalling his wisdom, conversations and laughter.
“Truly, the end of an era,” Riteish wrote.
Paresh Rawal summed up their bond more bluntly: “BHAU. NANA SAHEB. INSANELY HONEST AND INTENSE. LOVE AND RESPECT FOR EVER.”
Anupam Kher broke down while remembering his friend. Speaking from Washington, DC, he said Nana was “larger than life” and had “the largest heart in the world”, adding that his anger was “all kindness”. Kher recalled Nana’s warmth, hugs, unexpected scoldings and random calls to praise his work, calling him one of India’s finest actors and human beings.
Manisha Koirala, his Agni Sakshi co-star, called him “a great actor, a remarkable presence and a true stalwart of the craft”. Hrithik Roshan praised his authentic cinema, hard-hitting performances, effortless comic timing and unforgettable characters, while Madhuri Dixit remembered a “great artist” and “immortal voice”.
Rajinikanth, Patekar’s Kaala co-star, wrote, “I can’t believe my dear friend Nanaji is no longer with us.” Manoj Bajpayee said Patekar’s journey gave aspiring actors hope that individuality and craft could create a place in cinema. Alia Bhatt simply wrote, “No one like you.”
Suneil Shetty called him “unapologetically yourself, fiercely honest and a master of your craft”, adding: “There was only one Nana. There will never be another.”
Jr NTR said Patekar’s performances never felt like acting but “life unfolding on screen”. Chiranjeevi highlighted both his artistic legacy and compassion for farmers, while Aamir Khan Productions remembered the lives touched through his Naam Foundation.
Smriti Irani offered one of the most personal tributes, recalling how she called him “Dada”, his informal “Kahan hai re?” calls, his habit of encouraging young talent and a memory of him cooking for her. Their last conversation — “Aa re Pune, kadhi yeshil?” — now feels painfully unfinished.
Raveena Tandon remembered his courage, warmth and generosity, while Prakash Raj recalled their conversations, arguments, food and knowledge shared. Rajpal Yadav, who recently worked with Patekar in Vanvaas, remembered his “simplicity and warmth”.
From the political world, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called Patekar as great a human being as he was an actor and praised his work for farmers and drought-hit communities through the Naam Foundation. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari described him as one of Indian cinema’s “fiercest, most genuine and irreplaceable voices”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered him as a versatile performer whose work would inspire generations.
Kangana Ranaut, Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Kiara Advani, Prabhu Deva, Urmila Matondkar, Neil Nitin Mukesh and several others also expressed grief.
Patekar’s legacy stretched from Parinda, Krantiveer and Prahaar to Ab Tak Chhappan, Khamoshi, Welcome and Natsamrat. But the tributes repeatedly returned to something beyond his filmography: his individuality.
As Akshay put it, he never needed to do too much to make audiences sit up and watch. He simply had to be Nana.
