Nana Patekar, who died at the age of 75 on Thursday, was known for his powerful performances across Hindi and Marathi cinema. However, his life extended well beyond acting and filmmaking. From his association with the Territorial Army and philanthropic work to his love for farming and cooking, Patekar was known for his simple lifestyle and commitment to helping others.
Here's a look at Nana Patekar's life beyond acting and movies.
Nana Patekar In The Territorial Army
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Patekar trained with the Indian Territorial Army and held the rank of Captain. During the 1999 Kargil War, he reportedly spent time with soldiers at the frontlines, training and supporting troops and the families of martyrs.
Patekar's Philanthropic Work
His philanthropic work also remained an important part of his life. Patekar worked extensively to support farmers and rural families affected by drought and indebtedness in Maharashtra.
He personally distributed financial assistance to families of farmers who died by suicide amid drought and debt. In August 2015, he distributed cheques worth Rs 15,000 to 62 families of farmers from the Vidarbha region. A month later, another 113 families from Latur and Osmanabad in the Marathwada region received financial assistance.
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Patekar was also known for redirecting his earnings and awards towards charitable causes. In 2010, he donated his remuneration from the film Paathshaala to five charitable organisations. He also contributed towards rebuilding flood-affected villages in Bihar through the charitable organisation Anubhuthi.
In 2013, Patekar received the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award from the Maharashtra government. He donated the entire Rs 10 lakh cash prize towards drought-relief efforts.
Patekar Co-Founded Naam Foundation
In September 2015, Patekar co-founded the Naam Foundation with fellow Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure. The organisation was created in response to severe drought and water shortages to support farmers and rural communities affected by drought in Maharashtra. Patekar used social media campaigns to raise funds for drought relief.
Patekar On Water Conservation
Patekar worked on water conservation through Naam Foundation. The organisation also focused on creating longer-term solutions to Maharashtra's water crisis, including restoring canals and abandoned water projects, rejuvenating rivers, desilting water bodies and improving groundwater availability.
From 2015 and 2025 its water-conservation efforts helped restore 2,246 water sources and rejuvenate 178 rivers. It also undertook work on 515 streams and nalas and restored 769 percolation tanks, according to Naam Foundation. The organisation says these projects created a water-storage capacity of more than 40,000 crore litres and directly benefited more than 77 lakh farmers.
In May 2026, Patekar addressed the Nagpur Jal Samvad, where he said that water conservation needs to become a genuine public movement rather than an exercise in publicity. He asked the citizens to take responsibility for saving every possible drop of water.
Nana Patekar's Simple Lifestyle
Despite working in numerous successful Hindi and Marathi films, Patekar was known for his simple way of life.
Away from film sets, he enjoyed farming at his farmhouse near Sinhagad Fort in Pune. In a 2015 conversation with The New Indian Express, Patekar spoke about his life on the farm.
"I have around 10 acres of land; I plough my fields like a farmer and look after my buffaloes. I spend enough time in my small house there," he said.
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Nana Patekar's Love For Cooking
Cooking was another passion that Patekar often spoke about. He was known for cooking for colleagues and friends and enjoyed feeding people.
"I think I am a better cook than an actor," Patekar told The New Indian Express in a 2015 interview.
In a conversation with The Lallantop, Patekar revealed that he could cook for around 200 people at a time. He also said that when he cooked on film sets, he involved everyone in the process, assigning different tasks such as chopping and peeling vegetables.
His specialities included non-vegetarian dishes such as mutton paya, keema kaleji and bheja. He also said that he prepared his own spices at home.
Patekar's love for cooking was also remembered by actor and former Union minister Smriti Irani in a condolence post on X. She shared a video of the late actor cooking for her and recalled one of their conversations.
Dada. That's what I called him, while the world knew him as Nana Patekar. His calls were as random as they were precious. No formalities, no pleasantries. Just that familiar voice – “Kahan hai re?” We barely ever photographed our moments together. Perhaps because one could never imagine there would come a day when photographs would be all I am left with. I would call him out of the blue, sometimes just to put him on the phone with young talent who admired the legend. And he would oblige, with all the warmth that lay beneath that unmistakably gruff exterior. Today, among the memories I hold closest is one of him cooking for me. No special occasion . Just Dada, being Dada. Our last conversation still echoes in my ears. “Aa re Pune, kadhi yeshil?” Come to Pune, when will you visit? I said, “Soon.” Guess was not soon enough. See you on the other side, Dada. ❤️
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 8, 2026
"Today, among the memories I hold closest is one of him cooking for me. No special occasion. Just Dada, being Dada," Irani wrote.
Recalling their last conversation, she added, "Aa re Pune, kadhi yeshil?" — "Come to Pune, when will you visit?"
"I said, ‘Soon.' Guess was not soon enough. See you on the other side, Dada," she concluded.
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