Veteran actor Nana Patekar dies at 75, was found unconscious at his Goa home
The senior Hindi and Marathi film actor was rushed to hospital and died shortly afterwards; he had spent about 60 days with Army soldiers during the 1999 Kargil war.
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Nana Patekar, the senior actor of Hindi and Marathi films, has died at the age of 75. The news has left the film industry stunned, and his admirers are still struggling to believe that it happened so suddenly.
According to the information available so far, Patekar was found unconscious at his home in Goa. He was taken to hospital immediately but died a short while later.
Patekar was known for his powerful performances, but his close association with the Indian Army drew equal attention. The bond was not limited to films. In 1999, during the Kargil war, he spent about 60 days with Indian Army soldiers.
The association is said to have begun with the film Prahaar. To prepare for it, he underwent rigorous training with the Maratha Light Infantry in Belagavi. That training later proved useful during the Kargil war. In an interview, Patekar said he had expressed a wish to serve in the Army at the time of the Kargil war.
In that period he had asked the then Defence Minister, George Fernandes, for permission to join the Army. According to him, he was initially told that a civilian could not be recruited directly into the Army. Patekar then explained his commando training and marksmanship to the minister.
He also said he had won a bronze medal in rifle shooting at the national level. Shooting was thus not merely a hobby for him; he had won a competition in it.
Mourning has spread through the film industry since the news of his death. People are remembering him both for his powerful presence on screen and for the two months he spent with Army soldiers.
