Nana Patekar Dies: From Krantiveer to Raajneeti – 10 Most Memorable Political Roles of the Legendary Actor | Today’s news
Veteran actor Nana Patekar, known for his versatility and strong image, passed away at his residence in Goa in the early hours of October 8.
Patekar was 76 and is suspected to have suffered a heart attack, according to PTI.
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Patekar was known for his roles in several Hindi and Marathi films. His notable Hindi films include ‘Parinda’, ‘Prahaar: The Final Act’, ‘Tirangaa’, ‘Krantiveer’ and ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’.
Patekar has been the recipient of three National Film Awards, several Filmfare Awards, Maharashtra State Film Award and Filmfare Awards Marathi. He also received the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award.
Nana Patekar’s last film role was in Vishal Bhardwaj’s romantic action thriller O’Romeo, which released in February 2026.
Patekar is known for the iconic characters he has played in political films. Here are some of the famous political films he has been a part of:
1-Krantiveer: In this 1994 film, Nana Patekar plays Pratap Narayan Tilak, a character portraying a fiery and cynical young man in a Mumbai slum who transforms into a revolutionary voice against systemic corruption, communal violence and political apathy. Patekar won the National Award in the Best Actor category for this role.
2-Raajneeti: Nana Patekar plays Brij Gopal in this 2010 film directed by Prakash Jha. Brij Gopal, many said, was loosely modeled on Bhishma from the Mahabharata. Nana played a sharp, philosophical and influential political strategist who steered the power struggle in a dynastic Indian political family.
3-Apaharan: In this 2005 film, Nana Patekar portrayed Tabrez Alam, a ruthless and pragmatic politician deeply entangled with state-level kidnappings and the dark nexus between crime and politics.
4-Kaala: Nana Patekar played Hari Dhadha in this 2018 film.The character is a powerful politician and land mafia don who clashes with Rajinikanth’s character for city real estate and political dominance.
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5- Sankalp: In this 2026 OTT series by Prakash Jha, Nana Patekar plays Ma’at Saab in her OTT debut. Ma’at Saab is a complex educationist and former student leader from the 1970s in a socio-political thriller loosely inspired by the Chanakya-Chandragupta chronicles.
6- Sinhasan: The 1979 film marked Nana Patekar’s early entry into Marathi cinema. It is a classic political drama exploring the inner workings of power struggles and government politics. In the film, Nana Patekar plays a small-time criminal and a minor smuggler.
7- Shagird: This gritty 2011 action crime drama directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia explores the dark nexus between corrupt cops, the underworld and a power-hungry politician named Rajmani Singh. Patekar played the feared and unconventional cop Hanumant Singh.
8- Hu Tu Tu: A 1999 film directed by Gulzar, this critically acclaimed political drama explores power, idealism and corruption in contemporary politics, starring Tabu and Suniel Shetty opposite Patekar, who plays the role of Bhau – a radical poet and rebel.
9- Andha Yudh: In this 1987 political action thriller, Nana Patekar stars as Suhas Dandekar, a Superintendent of Police (SP) who leads a police operation to track down Raju (played by Raj Babbar), a hit man who assassinated the Chief Minister and took a wheelchair-bound young girl named Pallaviage Joshi (played by)
