Nana Patekar: The outspoken star who had friends across parties

Over the decades, Nana Patekar cultivated warm ties across party lines and hosted senior leaders from Maharashtra’s rival political parties.

Widely acclaimed for his on-screen performances, actor Nana Patekar has long occupied a unique space in Maharashtra’s public life. Beyond cinema, he is known for extensive social work, most notably relief initiatives for drought-hit farm families, and for warm relationships across the state’s political spectrum.

Nana Patekar has died at the age of 75. (Reuters)

Over the decades, the actor cultivated warm ties across party lines and hosted senior leaders from Maharashtra’s rival political parties for the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at his home in Mumbai and later at his farm near Pune.

Yet, his willingness to speak his mind and confront the powerful landed him in controversy, drawing flak even from close allies.

His equation with Balasaheb Thackeray

During 1995–1999, when the Shiv Sena–BJP combine was in power and Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray was at the height of his influence, Nana Patekar publicly called him out for disparaging Marathi literary figures. “Balasaheb, you have earned an image in our hearts and even you don’t have a right to destroy it,” he said.

Many feared a backlash but Balasaheb took the critique in stride and the their friendship endured till his death in 2012.

In an interview, Nana Patekar said he stopped visiting Matoshree with Balasaheb’s death.

“When Balasaheb Thackeray was alive, he used to call me whenever he wants. We used to speak on phone or he used to ask me to come to Matoshree for meeting. But after his death phone calls from Matoshree stopped and my relation with that home ended,” Patekar said.

A Baba Amte’s Anandwan project

Beyond politics, Patekar had been a long-time supporter of Baba Amte’s Anandwan project and played the character of Prakash Amte who runs hospitals, schools and and orphanage in tribal areas of Gadchiroli in in an acclaimed biographical film.

In 2015, he co-founded the Naam Foundation along with Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure to help distress-ridden farmers and support water conservation through the state’s Jalyukta Shivar scheme.

Patekar also spoke out for street hawkers in Mumbai in 2017 when not many others amid a violent agitation being carried out against them by the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

“Hawkers may have encroached upon roads and footpaths but why civic body for all these year allowed them and did not give them specific space to do their business? I feel everyone has right to work for his livelihood,” Patekar told reporters who had asked him about the agitation.

His blunt response irked Raj Thackeray, who at a party function, mocked him. “Mahatma Nana Patekar has said something on illegal hawkers issue. He is a good actor and we respect him for it. But he should not speak on the issue which he doesn’t understand. He praises every political leader and tried to preach on various matters. But this Patekar never raise his voice when Marathi films were not getting screens during prime time. Look at actors from the South. They speak for their state and regional pride,” Raj said.

But the MNS chief did come out in his support when an actor accused him of sexual harassment. “Nana Patekar may speaking nonsense at several times. But he will not do anything like this.” said Raj.

Comment on corrupt politicians

At a public event in 2022, he put then chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in a spot when he questioned them about the lack of action against corrupt politicians.

“Late YB Chavan (first chief minister of the state) had just ₹25,000 in his bank account when he died. Now-a-days even a corporator earns crores within a year or so, after getting elected. All of us know this. Why no is there no action taken against corrupt politicians,” Patekar asked the two in public.

In May 2025, he landed in a controversy when he described Shinde as a spotless leader who did not have a single taint on him. “I know him for decades. He is person with not a single taint on him.” Patekar said, a remark that angered the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena leaders. “How can Patekar give certificate of character to Shinde who is traitor of Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and took away the party and symbol from Thackeray’s family.” said leaders from Thackeray faction.

Nana Patekar died at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa, on Thursday.