Who is Nana Patekar's wife Neelakanti? The bank officer who earned Rs 2,500 when he earned Rs 50

Veteran actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar is no more. The actor breathed his last on October 8 at the age of 75 in Goa after suffering a cardiac arrest. Known for his intense voice and inimitable dialogue delivery, Patekar leaves behind a legacy that will be cherished forever.

While his work in Hindi and Marathi cinema will always be remembered, he kept his personal life away from the media glare and rarely talked about it.

Nana Patekar's family

Born as Vishwanath Patekar on January 1, 1951, in Murud-Janjira, Raigad, Maharashtra, into a Marathi family. His father, Dinkar Patekar, was a textile painter, and his mother, Sanjanabai Patekar, was a homemaker. He grew up with seven siblings and faced severe financial hardships in his childhood. His father's business collapsed when he was 13, which pushed him to start working early - painting cinema posters to support his family.

Who is Nana Patekar's wife, Neelakanti? The bank officer who earned Rs 2,500 when he earned Rs 50 met his wife

Nana Patekar married Neelakanti Patekar in 1978. She was associated with the Marathi film industry as an actress and producer. In an old interview with The Lallontop, Patekar and Neelakanti first met at a theatre in Mumbai, where she was working as a bank officer while also pursuing theatre, earning Rs 2500 back then, when Patekar's own salary was Rs 50.

The actor also shared that she gave her the freedom to focus on his career, as she was the one earning well. She had worked in films. But left to focus on their son, Malaar.

The couple later started living separately, though they never officially divorced. Both have largely remained silent about their marriage in public. No information is available on where she has been living now.

Nana and Neelakanti had two sons. Their elder son, Durvasa, passed away at the age of two due to an illness. Their younger son, Malhar Patekar, is an assistant director and has worked in Ram Gopal Varma's The Attacks of 26/11. He has been working with his father at Naam Foundation, an NGO that supports farmers in drought‑affected regions of Maharashtra.