Stories
Inside Nana Patekar and Wife Neelkanti's 35-Year Separation Without Divorce
- •Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away at the age of 75 following a suspected cardiac arrest at his Goa residence.
- •Nana and Neelkanti married in 1978 after meeting during their theatre days and had two sons, though their elder son tragically passed away at age two-and-a-half.
- •Despite living separately for nearly 35 years due to personality differences, the couple never legally divorced and maintained mutual respect.
- •Neelkanti Patekar is a National Award-winning writer and actress who recently returned to the screen in the film Chhaava.
- •The actor largely kept his private life away from public attention throughout his illustrious career in Hindi and Marathi cinema.
Key Questions Answered
Veteran actor Nana Patekar passed away on October 8, 2026, at the age of 75 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. He was rushed to a hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him.
Despite never legally divorcing, Nana Patekar and his wife Neelkanti lived separately for nearly 35 years due to fundamental differences in their personalities and ways of thinking. Nana explained in an interview that these personality contrasts made it difficult to continue sharing the same home, though they maintained mutual respect.
Neelkanti Patekar is an accomplished actress and writer who began her career as a child artist at age six. She won a National Award for her work in Marathi cinema, including a Best Actress award from the Maharashtra government for the film Aatandrask, and later returned to the screen in Vicky Kaushal's Chhaava.
