Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma mourns Nana Patekar’s death, calls him a ‘true nationalist’

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, October 8 condoled the death of veteran actor Nana Patekar, who died at the age of 75 after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. Sarma described Patekar as a versatile actor and a “true nationalist”, and said his candid portrayal of social realities on and off screen would be particularly remembered.

Patekar, whose real name was Vishwanath Patekar, was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa, in the early hours of Thursday and was taken to Manipal Hospital. Doctors attempted to revive him through continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for around 45 minutes, but he could not be revived. He was declared dead at around 5:20 am, according to Dr Shekhar Salkar, chief of the oncology department at Manipal Hospital.

“A medico-legal case (MLC) has been registered, and a post-mortem will be conducted,” Dr Salkar told news agency ANI. The preliminary medical assessment attributed the death to a severe cardiac arrest, while further details are expected to emerge following the post-mortem examination.

Reacting to the actor's death, Sarma wrote on X, “Vishwanath Patekar was more than a versatile actor; he was a true nationalist.” He added that among Patekar's many roles, the actor would be remembered particularly for those in which he reflected social realities through his straightforward views, both on screen and in public life.

“Voices like his come once in a generation,” Sarma said, concluding his message with “Om Shanti”.

Patekar was one of the prominent performers in Hindi and Marathi cinema, with a career spanning several decades. He began his acting journey in Marathi theatre and cinema before establishing himself as a leading character actor in Hindi films. His performances were marked by an intense screen presence and distinctive dialogue delivery.

He was widely acclaimed for films including Parinda, Krantiveer, Ab Tak Chhappan and Welcome, among others. His body of work covered serious dramas, action films and comedy, allowing him to build a diverse filmography across mainstream and parallel cinema.

Patekar received several major honours during his career, including National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards, and remained a prominent figure in Indian cinema for decades