Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75 (Credit: X) Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away on Thursday, and former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan expressed his condolences, calling him a 'truly special talent' whose work would inspire future generations. Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of the Department of Oncology at Manipal Hospital, told ANI over the phone that Patekar passed away at 5:20 am on Thursday following a heart arrest at his home. Dr Salkar stated that Patekar stayed in asystole for the 45 minutes of CPR. Dhawan honoured Nana Patekar in an X post, describing him as a unique talent whose work would inspire future generations. "Indian cinema has lost a truly special talent today. Nana Patekar saab, your work will continue to inspire generations. Om Shanti.” Shikhar Dhawan posted. Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane also penned a heartfelt note to pay his tribute to Patekar. "Nana Patekar ji was a truly remarkable actor whose work has inspired and entertained generations. Very sad to hear about his passing. May his soul rest in peace," said Rahane. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice-President Rajeev Shukla paid tribute to Nana Patekar after the veteran actor’s passing on Thursday, remembering him as 'an exceptionally compassionate human being'. In an X post, the BCCI VP expressed grief over Nana Patekar’s demise, praising his acting, versatility and screen presence, as well as his commitment to social service and efforts to transform lives. “Deeply pained by the demise of veteran actor and an exceptionally compassionate human being, Shri Nana Patekar Ji. His remarkable acting prowess, versatility and powerful screen presence have left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. Beyond the world of films, his selfless commitment to social service and his efforts to transform lives have touched countless people. May his soul rest in eternal peace. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and countless admirers,” he said. Nana Patekar was one of the prominent actors in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He made his acting debut with the 1978 film ‘Gaman’ and went on to establish himself as a celebrated actor with performances in films such as ‘Parinda,’ ‘Prahar,’ ‘Angaar,’ ‘Krantiveer,’ ‘Tiranga,’ ‘Khamoshi’ and ‘Ab Tak Chhappan,’ among others. In recent years, Patekar continued to feature in a range of projects. He was part of Housefull 5, which starred Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh and others. Patekar, 75, also appeared as a police officer in Vishal Bhardwaj's O'Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri. In addition, he had a cameo appearance in Subedar, which stars Anil Kapoor and Radhika Madan. Nikhil is an accomplished sports journalist with extensive experience spanning several years across digital, and multimedia platforms. Currently contr... View More