Indian actor Nana Patekar, who is widely considered as one of the most versatile personalities in the Indian film industry, passed away early this Thursday morning in Manipal Hospital in Goa after being declared dead at 5:20 am in the morning by the doctors treating him.
As per reports by AajTak, Nana Patekar was experiencing extreme chest pain, which caused his residence to be visited by a team of doctors who found him unconscious and administered CPR to him.
Press Trust of India said that the cause of his death was possibly cardiac arrest, quoting a doctor from the hospital where he was declared dead.
Vishwanath Patekar made his film debut in the 1978 Hindi drama Gaman, going on to create what would be considered one of the most respected and unique filmographies within Indian cinema.
His natural intensity and honesty seldom called for him to raise his voice in order to dominate his scenes, and it would earn him widespread critical acclaim for performances in movies like Parinda and Krantiveer, the latter being considered one of the iconic roles in his career.
Through the years, his movie appearances have gone on to include Prahaar: The Final Attack, which he directed, Agni Sakshi, Apaharan, Welcome, and Natsamrat, a Marathi language appearance considered one of the best in his career.
His more recent works have included Vanvaas, Ole Aale, and The Confession.
Throughout his career, Patekar has won three National Film Awards and Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honors of India in recognition of his contributions to Indian cinema and theatre.
The legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray was said to be one of his greatest admirers who even showed interest in directing him.
The demise of Patekar led to an outpouring of tributes from political leaders, actors, and fans all across the nation.
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, expressed his grief at the demise of Patekar and appreciated him as an actor of intensity, individuality, and distinctive persona.
The actor Akshay Kumar, who worked in films with Patekar, said that he is one of the few actors who never had to try too hard to impress people, owing to his distinctive voice and intensity along with honesty in all of his performances.
The Congress leader Raja Warring is one of the many other political and cultural personalities who paid their homage for Patekar.
In addition to his acting career, Patekar also worked for humanitarian causes through the NGO founded by him named Nirmala Gajanan Foundation.
It was through his foundation that he took part in various relief works for farmers and people who were affected due to conflict and disasters in India.
It had also been seen that Patekar personally traveled to villages in Rajouri and Poonch for giving help to families that were affected by shelling along the borders.
