Many people around the world follow Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, and he took to social media to show his respects. Kohli said that his tribute was because the actor had a lasting effect on Indian public life, not just in the movie business.
On Thursday, October 8, 2026, Nana Patekar, a veteran Bollywood actor, died after having a severe cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. He was 75 years old.
What was it about Virat Kohli salute that got so much attention?
Virat Kohli public posts on social media always have tens of millions of fans, and his choice to honour Patekar showed how important the actor’s work was to Indian society as a whole. Fans of both cricket and films responded to the tribute in droves, showing Patekar’s rare ability to connect with people of all ages.
A true legend of Indian cinema. His work and legacy will live on for generations. Rest in peace, Nana Patekar ji. Om Shanti. 🙏
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 8, 2026
Patekar became famous in Hindi films over the course of almost fifty years. In 1978, he made his movie debut in Gaman. In 1989, Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Parinda, in which he played crime boss Anna, he gave one of his best performances and won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Indian government gave him the Padma Shri, which is the fourth-highest citizen award in the country, in 2013 for his work in films.
Patekar worked as an actor until the day he died. In 2025, he was in Housefull 5 with Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, and Riteish Deshmukh. His last movie role was as a police cop in Vishal Bhardwaj’s 2026 movie O’Romeo, which starred Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri.
So, what has Virat Kohli been doing on the cricket pitch before his next job?
As India gets ready for their upcoming international schedule, Virat Kohli has been in great batting shape. He scored 168 runs in three one-day internationals against West Indies. His unbeaten 139 in the first match at Thiruvananthapuram was his most impressive performance.
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That was also Kohli’s 55th ODI century, which added to his already impressive list of all-time greats in the game and made him even more famous. His record made it official that he is one of the best run scorers in the history of the 50-over game. India is going to play five ODIs in New Zealand, with the first game on November 4, 2026. He is likely to be in the team.
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