Actor Nana Patekar dies at 75 of heart attack; he won a national silver in rifle shooting

Nana Patekar, a veteran actor of the Marathi and Hindi film industries, died today at the age of 75. He died of a heart attack. His death has plunged the Indian film industry into mourning. The last rites will be held at his home in Donje, Pune.

Patekar had a distinct place in Indian cinema. He won the National Film Award three times, and the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri. Reports have also said that he suffered the heart attack at his home in Goa. Apart from the world of cinema, he also had a deep association with sport.

Besides being an actor, Patekar was a rifle shooter. He took part in national-level rifle shooting and won a medal at the national championship, proving himself on the sporting field as well.

His shooting, too, began with a film role. He started learning rifle shooting for that part, and also trained in G-3 rifle shooting with Indian soldiers. It has been said that he began learning the sport at the age of 40. Through hard work, determination and great struggle, he won a silver medal at the national level.

His film Prahaar is also linked to the sport. So that the character would look precise and real on screen, he underwent tough shooting training with the Indian Army. The experience he gained then served him when he acted in the film.

In 2004, the 48th National Shooting Championship was held at the BSF's Rioti range in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. At this competition, Patekar won the silver medal in the 300-metre big-bore event. His acting and social work have always been talked about, but this achievement shows that off screen, too, he had the spirit of a commando in real life.