Media365
4 min readNew DelhiOct 8, 2026 11:33 PM IST
Veteran actor Nana Patekar, who died on Thursday at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Goa home, was known for his straightforward views both on and off screen. Over the years, he had spoken openly about religion, caste and the importance of humanity, once saying that he did not believe in religious identities and considered himself a human being first.
In 2016, at a school event in Maharashtra, Nana had said that Indians should not be divided on the basis of religion or caste and questioned the need to identify people as Hindu, Muslim or Christian.
Nana Patekar on religion
“We do not believe in caste, and I do not believe in religion either. We are Indians, and Indian-ness is our religion. Then why do we need religions such as Hinduism, Islam and Christianity? When we came into this world, did we bring our religion along with us?” Nana Patekar had said while interacting with students at the concluding ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Achara New English School in Sindhudurg.
Nana had also questioned the practice of mentioning caste and religion on official forms.
“If you say that our country, India, is secular, then why don’t you remove the columns for caste and religion from every form?” he asked the students.
The actor said the teachings of different religions ultimately convey the same message and urged the students to see humanity as the most important value.
“Every religion says, look for God in a human being. Everybody has a hero and a villain within themselves. So it depends upon you to be a hero or a villain. If you show humanity, it will give you satisfaction,” he had said.
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Nana Patekar expressed a similar view during his appearance on Aap Ki Adalat with Rajat Sharma.
“I have never followed any particular religion or sect. I believe I am a human being. I don’t even know what the difference between a Hindu and a Muslim is. I don’t see any difference,” he said.
ALSO READ: ‘They died of heart attack’: Nana Patekar spoke of Natsamrat curse, kept wood ready for funeral
Nana Patekar’s Naam Foundation
Nana Patekar’s concerns about society were not limited to religion. He often spoke about inequality, rural distress and the responsibilities that come with having more than one needs.
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His connection with farmers eventually led to the formation of Naam Foundation with actor Makarand Anaspure. The organisation works with people affected by farmer suicides and rural distress in Maharashtra. Nana had spoken about being deeply affected by the drought situation in Vidarbha and the farmer suicides that followed.
“We should have the generosity to give something to others from whatever little we have, even if it is only a pinch from a handful,” he had said.
Nana Patekar’s career
Nana Patekar began his career in theatre before making his film debut with Gaman in 1978. Over a career spanning decades, he became one of the most distinctive performers in Hindi and Marathi cinema, known for his intense screen presence, powerful voice and ability to move between serious drama and comedy.
He won three National Film Awards — Best Supporting Actor for Parinda, Best Actor for Krantiveer and Best Supporting Actor for Agni Sakshi. His other notable films included Khamoshi: The Musical, Ab Tak Chhappan, Raajneeti and Welcome, while his performance in the Marathi film Natsamrat earned widespread acclaim.
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Nana also directed Prahaar: The Final Attack. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2013.
