Nana Patekar, a towering presence in Hindi and Marathi cinema, breathed his last at the age of 75. The actor suffered a cardiac arrest at his Goa home and passed away at 5:20 am on Thursday, as confirmed by Dr Shekhar Salkar, head of Oncology at Manipal Hospital, in a statement to ANI. His wife, Neelakanti, who has had her own career in Marathi theatre and films, and their son, Malhar, survive him.
How Neelakanti Patekar and Nana Patekar’s love story began
The love story of Nana Patekar and Neelakanti began on the Marathi stage. Neelakanti, then a bank officer who pursued acting alongside her job, became a friend before she became his partner. They married in 1978. Their early married life was marked by joy as well as grief, as they lost their first child at the age of two and a half.
Neelakanti Patekar’s unconventional path to acting
Neelakanti took an unusual road to acting. She was born in Pune, but her father’s postings in the Central Excise Department meant she spent her childhood in several different cities. She went on to study Physics, and when her father pushed her to try the IIT entrance exam, she passed it. But theatre was what she really wanted, so she chose the stage over an engineering career.
Neelakanti Patekar’s award-winning career in theatre and cinema
Despite her background in Physics, Neelakanti’s heart was in acting. She became deeply involved in Marathi theatre and earned a name for herself as a performer, winning the Gold Medal for Best Actress at the Maharashtra State Drama Competition in 1973. She later moved into Marathi cinema, and in 1989 she starred opposite Sachin Pilgaonkar in Aatm Vishwas, a film he also directed. Her performance in the lead role earned her the Maharashtra State Government’s Best Actress award.
Neelakanti Patekar’s comeback with ‘Chhaava ’
Neelakanti returned to acting after a long break from the limelight. She appeared in the historical drama ‘Chhaava’, starring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna, in the role of Dharau.
Neelakanti Patekar and Nana Patekar: married but living apart
Nana and Neelakanti never divorced, but over time they chose to live apart. In an earlier interview reported by Indian Express, Nana reflected on their relationship, saying, “Nilkanti and I shared numerous years of happiness together. We supported each other through thick and thin. But, over the years, we developed certain irreconcilable differences and grew apart. Today, we continue to be married but stay separately.“
Neelakanti Patekar and the loss of their first son
The couple’s journey included a deep personal grief, the death of their first son. Malhar, born later, grew to be a cherished part of their family.
Nana Patekar’s recent film work
Meanwhile, Nana stayed busy in cinema through the later part of his career. He was part of the ‘Housefull 5’ cast alongside Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan and Riteish Deshmukh. He also took on the role of a police officer in Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘O’Romeo’, which stars Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri, and made a cameo in ‘Subedar’, with Anil Kapoor and Radhikka Madan in the lead.
