Nana Patekar (born 1 January 1951) is an Indian actor, writer and filmmaker who works mainly in Hindi and Marathi cinema. Known for his intense, unpredictable style and rapid-fire dialogue, he has won three National Film Awards and is one of the few actors to have won Filmfare Awards in the best actor, supporting actor and villain categories. He co-founded the Naam Foundation, which helps drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra, and received the Padma Shri in 2013.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Vishwanath Patekar |
| Born | 1 January 1951, Murud-Janjira, Raigad district, Maharashtra, India |
| Age | 75 |
| Occupation | Actor, writer, director |
| Education | Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouse | Neelakanti Patekar |
| Children | 1 (Malhar) |
| Honours | Padma Shri (2013), three National Film Awards |
Early Life
Patekar was born in the coastal town of Murud-Janjira. His father’s small textile-painting business failed, and as a teenager Nana painted film posters and zebra crossings in Mumbai to support the family. He studied commercial art at the J. J. Institute and worked in advertising while acting in Marathi experimental theatre.
Career
His first film was Gaman (1978). He drew notice in Ankush (1986) and as a wife-beater in Salaam Bombay! (1988). His chilling gangster Anna in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Parinda (1989) won him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. For Prahaar (1991), which he also directed, he trained with the army’s Maratha Light Infantry and was later given an honorary rank in the Territorial Army.
Tirangaa (1993) and Krantiveer (1994) made him a star; the latter won him the National Film Award for Best Actor. He won a third National Award for Agni Sakshi (1996). Later films include Khamoshi, Yeshwant, Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Apaharan, the comedy Welcome (2007) and Raajneeti (2010). In Marathi he gave acclaimed performances in Dr. Prakash Baba Amte (2014) and Natsamrat (2016).
Social Work
In 2015 he and the actor Makarand Anaspure started the Naam Foundation, which gives money to the widows of farmers who have died by suicide and funds water-conservation work in Marathwada and Vidarbha. Patekar lives simply in a farmhouse near Pune.
Controversy
In 2018 the actress Tanushree Dutta accused him of harassing her on a film set in 2008. He denied the allegation, and the Mumbai police closed the case in 2019, saying they had found no evidence.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Nana Patekar born?
Nana Patekar was born on 1 January 1951 in Murud-Janjira, Raigad district, Maharashtra, India and is 75 years old.
What is Nana Patekar’s occupation?
Occupation: Actor, writer, director.
What honours has Nana Patekar received?
Padma Shri (2013), three National Film Awards.
Featured image: Nana Patekar speaks at the International Film Festival of India, Goa, November 2017. Photo by joegoaukiffi3, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
