Nana Patekar Naam Foundation: Legendary Indian cinema actor Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75. On Thursday morning, he suddenly developed severe chest pain at his flat in Goa. He was rushed to the hospital when he was found unconscious. Doctors tried to revive him for about 45 minutes, but he was declared dead at 5.20 am. His son Malhar Patekar has confirmed this sad news. Nana Patekar, who ruled the hearts of the audience with his powerful performances for nearly five decades, is no longer with us. The world will remember him as an incomparable actor in memorable films like ‘Parinda’, ‘Krantiveer’ and ‘Natasamrat’, but the biggest chapter of his life was written away from the glare of the camera. This is the story of that changed perspective, which made a famous star the biggest supporter of thousands of destitute farmers.
One evening, the TV screen… and everything changed
It was an ordinary evening in the year 2015. Nana Patekar was sitting comfortably in his house, a drink in his hand and the TV playing in front of him. After decades of hard work and success in cinema, he had saved Rs 1.5 crore for himself. His intention was to buy himself a wonderful new luxury car. Everything was going on as usual, but suddenly a news appeared on the TV screen. This news is related to the suicide of a farmer in a drought-hit area of Maharashtra.
The crying family of that farmer was seen on the screen. There was a widowed wife, orphaned children and elderly parents who had lost their son. Nana Patekar was watching the news. Not only did the sound of that family’s cries hurt his heart, but the hunger evident on their faces shook him to the core. That moment completely shook Nana’s mind. They asked themselves, “Why are we buying a car?” Referring to that evening in an interview in 2024, Nana said that the TV report changed the whole priority of his life. That Rs 1.5 crore that was earmarked for a flashy car was now looking for a new avenue.
Beed’s tour shook us
Nana couldn’t sit still after watching that heartwarming scene on TV. He immediately called his fellow actor Makarand Anaspure, who himself hails from Marathwada. As an initial consideration, Nana proposed that he would send Rs 15,000 to the family of each farmer who committed suicide. Both felt that this help would provide some relief to the families. But Makarand advised Nana to walk the ground himself instead of just sending money. He insisted that Nana himself should go to Beed and meet the affected families directly.
Nana Patekar reached Beed and was stunned by the sight there. About 200 to 250 women were sitting in one place. These were women who had lost their husbands due to famine and debt. Someone had a hungry baby on her lap, an innocent person stood holding her mother’s finger. This scene completely changed Nana’s way of thinking. Nana had reached there thinking how much money he could distribute, but on his way back he was thinking how the once given help could benefit these destitute families. A pang rose in her heart, “If one of these children were ours, what would we do?” This was the moment when the help given on a personal level turned into a bigger mission.
Water conservation started with Naam Foundation
In the year 2015, Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspur together formally started the ‘NAM Foundation’. This step was taken to deal with drought and rural distress in Marathwada and Vidarbha. Initially the organization provided direct financial assistance to the affected farming families, but Nana soon realized that mere compensation was not a permanent solution. A definitive solution to the crisis was possible only if the peasants were prevented from reaching that stage of helplessness.
Nana’s organization realized that the real cause of the entire crisis was water scarcity. If there is no water, the crops will wither, if there is no crop, the income will disappear and if there is no income, the farmer will be pushed towards suicide. After this the Naam Foundation made water conservation its main work. The organization undertook the deepening and cleaning of rivers, streams, canals, seepage ponds and farm ponds, so that soil water levels could be improved and crop production increased. Apart from this, major work was started on rural development, education of children and creation of means of earning.
Nana got maximum support from the general public in this noble work. When the Naam Foundation was formed, ordinary middle class and poor families donated their hard earned money instead of the super rich. The organization later distributed relief materials on a large scale during natural calamities and the Covid crisis as well. Along with this, Nana also quietly worked in the field of education and health through the Nirmala Gajanan Foundation.
Life among soldiers beyond the cinema
Nana Patekar’s film journey of five decades has been very glittering. Films like ‘Parinda’, ‘Krantiveer’, ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’, ‘Natasamrat’ and ‘Welcome’ made him a leader in the acting world. He was awarded three National Film Awards and in 2013, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri. But behind the scenes his life remained just as supportive and devoted to the country.
Along with the farmers, Nana also had a deep connection with the Indian Army. During the 1999 Kargil War, Nana was present on the front lines with the Indian Army soldiers. He underwent proper army training for the film ‘Prahar’ and due to that connection he was seen among the soldiers cheering him on during the tough times of the war.
Nana Patekar’s departure is not just a veteran actor’s departure. This is the farewell of a man who chose to put a smile on thousands of destitute faces leaving behind a luxurious car worth Rs 1.5 crore. A journey that started with a news item seen on TV is still a living example of inspiration for millions.
