Nana Patekar's Final Screen Appearances: ‘Eetha’, ‘Shakti Shalini’ And ‘The Confession Of Mary’
Following Nana Patekar's demise, three of his upcoming films – ‘The Confession of Mary’, ‘Eetha’ and ‘Shakti Shalini’ – are expected to bring the legendary actor back to the big screen posthumously.
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The Indian film industry is mourning the loss of one of its most versatile and celebrated actors, Nana Patekar. The veteran star, whose career spanned Marathi theatre, parallel cinema, and some of Bollywood's biggest commercial hits, passed away at the age of 75. Nana Patekar died at his home in Goa on October 8 after suffering a cardiac arrest. According to reports, he was found unconscious in the early hours of Thursday morning. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital, where doctors valiantly tried to revive him for approximately 45 minutes before he was declared dead at around 5:20 am.
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While his death brings to a close an extraordinary acting career that lasted over four decades, fans will still have the opportunity to see his magic on screen. Three completed films featuring the iconic actor are currently awaiting release and will be shown posthumously.
The Confession of Mary
Perhaps the most notable of his remaining projects is ‘The Confession of Mary’, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Ananth Mahadevan.
In the film, Nana Patekar takes on the role of Father Benedict, a priest who finds himself accused of murdering a woman. The gripping story draws inspiration from the real-life 1966 Mariyakutty murder case in Kerala. The film boasts a strong ensemble cast, including Adil Hussain, Ashish Vidyarthi, Gautam Rode, and Joy Sengupta.
The official synopsis paints a tense picture: “Marie's ravaged dead body was found in the thickets and all evidences pointed to Father Benedict's involvement in the case. In a stirring conflict of conscience and faith, Benedict refuses to divulge the confession that Marie had made to him. Benedict becomes the first priest to be sentenced to death ... But the Church and the Universe bring together elements that lead to a cathartic climax.”
Tragically, Nana Patekar was scheduled to complete his final dubbing for the film just days before his passing. Subhash Kale, co-producer of the film, shared a heartbreaking detail with ANI: “We had spoken just the day before yesterday about the dubbing. There was one line that he had to dub. He told me, 'I am coming to Bombay.' He was supposed to come to Bombay tomorrow, and he also had a shoot scheduled in Bombay for a film. So he told me, 'I'll come tomorrow, and we'll do that one line'.”
‘The Confession of Mary’ was selected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2025 and is currently awaiting its theatrical release.
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Eetha
Fans can also look forward to ‘Eetha’, a biographical musical drama directed by Laxman Utekar. The film chronicles the life of Vithabai Narayangaonkar, the celebrated Maharashtrian Lavani and Tamasha artist.
The project is headlined by Shraddha Kapoor, Randeep Hooda, and Anant Joshi, with Nana Patekar playing a significant part. While the teaser was unveiled a few months ago, the film's release was postponed. It is now scheduled to hit theatres on December 4, 2026.
Shakti Shalini
The final film likely to feature Nana Patekar on the big screen is ‘Shakti Shalini’, the upcoming horror-comedy from Maddock Films. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, it represents the latest installment in the production house's popular horror-comedy universe, which includes hits like ‘Stree’, ‘Bhediya’, and ‘Munjya’.
The film also stars Aneet Padda, Vishal Jethwa, and Vineet Kumar Singh. Originally expected to release on December 24, 2026, recent reports suggest the release date may be shifted to 2027.
