Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 8 (ANI): Veteran actor and BJP MP Hema Malini expressed her sorrow on the demise of actor Nana Patekar on Thursday. The actress described the artist as an actor's institution for his unique "acting style and wonderful voice."
Patekar passed away after suffering a severe cardiac arrest in Goa. He was taken to Manipal Hospital, where doctors tried to revive him for around 45 minutes, but he could not be saved.
Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, confirmed the news to ANI. His last rites will take place at his farmhouse residence, affectionately known as Nanachi Wadi, located in Donje village near Khadakwasla, Pune.
While talking to ANI, actor Hema Malini said that she was "sad" and "shocked" after the actor's demise. She described Nana Patekar as a "magnificent artist."
"I was deeply saddened and shocked to learn that such a great actor is suddenly no longer among us. Birth and death are inevitable, but we never expect something so sudden. He was a magnificent artist—an institution of acting in his own right—with a unique acting style and a wonderful voice. He was a towering figure in both the Hindi and Marathi film industries. I admired his performances immensely."
The actress also shared that she recently watched Nana Patekar's starrer series 'Sankalp' and was in awe of his performance.
"I recently watched Sankalp, a web series featuring him. I actually called him to tell him how beautiful it was and how much I enjoyed it. He was very happy to hear that. Beyond that, he was a truly dedicated social worker. He established the Naam Foundation, through which he helped countless farmers and underprivileged people. He demonstrated that his heart was even bigger than his stature as a film personality," said Nana Patekar.
Film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur also paid tribute to Nana Patekar by praising his acting range in Indian cinema.
While talking to ANI, Siddharth Roy Kapur said, "I just want to say that there are very few performers whose range goes from Parinda to Welcome. I think there are rare actors who can pull off what Nana Patekar has pulled off over the years across so many different performances. I think he'll be greatly missed. My condolences to the family."
Critically acclaimed director Subhash Ghai also paid tribute to the actor Nana Patekar, calling him a "great human being" along with being a "great actor."
"Words fall short when speaking about him because he wasn't just a star. He wasn't just a great actor; he was a great human being, too. He became a great actor because of his humanity. He became a great star because of his grounded nature. He used to roam around in simple pyjamas even then. Look at how often he donated his earnings to help children and engaged in social service," said Subhash Ghai while talking to ANI.
Nana Patekar was a celebrated actor who made a significant mark in both Hindi and Marathi cinema. He began his acting career with the 1978 film 'Gaman' and went on to deliver acclaimed performances in movies such as 'Parinda', 'Prahar', 'Angaar', 'Krantiveer', 'Tirangaa', 'Khamoshi' and 'Ab Tak Chhappan'.
Even in recent years, Patekar remained active in films. The 75-year-old actor featured in Housefull 5, alongside Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh and others.
He also played a police officer in Vishal Bhardwaj’s 'O’Romeo', which stars Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri. Patekar further made a cameo appearance in 'Subedar', featuring Anil Kapoor and Radhika Madan. (ANI)
Magnificent artist: Hema Malini, Subhash Ghai and more pay tribute to Nana Patekar after actor's demise
