Farewell Nana Patekar: The voice, the fire, the legend
The world of arts suffered a major and irreparable loss on Thursday with the unexpected and sudden demise of the legendary Nana Patekar, an internationally acclaimed film artist. He left a mark on all the sectors of movie-making, whether it is acting, direction, or scripting.
Nana Patekar (75), whose real name was Vishwanath Patekar, was found dead in his apartment in Panaji, Goa, by a close friend to whom the actor had sent a message at 3.30 saying that he was not well. Though the friend rushed to Nana’s residence, the actor was lying unconscious. He was immediately taken to a hospital where the doctors confirmed the worst — that he had died due to a cardiac arrest.
Winner of three National Awards and several Filmfare Awards, Nana Patekar was rated as the Everest of acting. The 2023 movie The Vaccine War, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, in which Nana essayed the role of Dr Balram Bhargava, brought tears to the eyes of India’s scientific community. Dr Bhargava was the chief of the Indian Council of Medical Research during the COVID pandemic, and the film portrayed his trials and tribulations in developing the vaccine.
Agnihotri, in his social media post, incorporated the last scenes of his film in which Nana Patekar as Dr Bhargava tells the world that “India can do it” after the successful development of the COVID vaccine.
In a heart-rending message on social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief and sorrow over the demise of Nana. “Few actors possessed the intensity, individuality, and unmistakable presence that Shri Nana Patekar Ji had. He brought remarkable versatility and creativity to every role and gave us characters that will be remembered for generations. He was also admired for his frank and forthright views, never hesitating to express what he believed in.
Shri Nana Patekar’s contribution to Hindi and Marathi cinema was immense. His passing leaves a deep void. My condolences to his family, friends and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” Modi said in his message.
Nana had hogged global limelight through films like Parinda and Prahaar. This writer was present during the preview of Parinda held at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, after which the entire audience stood up and gave thunderous applause to Nana Patekar for his central role as Anna Seth, the dreaded mafia don. It is very rare for an actor to get such appreciation from the students and faculty of FTII, the real connoisseurs of films.
Besides Hindi and Marathi movies, Nana acted in many language films, leaving behind dozens of characters that got engraved in the hearts of the audience. He maintained a distinct character from the glittering world of films when he was not acting. Nana remained in his farmhouse in Pune, engaging in agriculture and working for the causes of farmers. He belonged to a different class, whether in reel life or in real life.
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