Smita Patil

An extraordinary...ordinary looking dusky beauty..

Smita Patil

Smita Patil was born in 1955, her politician father  Shivajirao Patil and social worker mother Vidyatai Patil from Sirpur town,Maharashtra  and she did her basic schooling from Renuka Swaroop Memoial high school in Pune.

She was graduated from The Film and Television Institute of  India,Pune. She made her debut with Mere Saath Chal in 1974. Shyam Benegal discovered her when she used to work as a newsreader  for Doordarshan and was a accomplished photographer.  

She was the finest actress of her times and she used to prove that with her every performance. I saw her in Mirch Masala for the first time and i was amazed with her acting skills and i was compelled to watch all her movies. 

In 1975, Smita worked in Shyam Benegal's movie Charandas Chor , it was a children's film. 
Smita gave two of her best performance in the year 1976 - Manthan and Bhumika. Both were the best piece of art. Manthan, White Revolution of India(Operation Flood) was written by Dr.Verghese Kurien and Directed by Shyam Benegal. In Bhumika, she played the role of a  well known Marathi Stage and screen actress of 1940's Hansa Wadkar, who lived an unusual life in the search of love and identity.  Smita portrayed both the roles amazingly. She was looking very attractive in her  simple cotton saris in Bhumika  . She won her first National Film Award (Best Actress) for the Movie. 


In 1980, Govind Nihalani, Aakrosh released , Aakrosh won the National Film Award for best Feature Film and also got Golden  Peacock for the Best Film at the International Film Festival of India. Smita worked in  Govind Nihalani' Tamas and Ardh Satya also . She won her second National Film Award in 1982 ( Best Actress) for Chakra.

Smita was as a feminist and a member of the Women's Centre in Mumbai. She did almost all women oriented movies which showed different aspects of Indian women in Indian Society. As her looks and appearance was simple and natural so it was very easy to relate with.  She was the only actress who can do justice to both commercial and parallel cinema....

 In 1982 , She gave two commercial hits - Namak Halal and Shakti. She was paired against Amitabh Bachhan in both the movies . She was praised for her glamarous look in Paag Ghoongroo bandh  mera nachi thi song.......Aaj rapat Jaye to hame na uthayo from movie Namak Halal...is still one of the most romantic rain song....









In the same year, she did Sagar  Sarhadi's Bazaar also. This film shows the tragedy of young girls being sold by needy parents to rich Indians in Gulf. Songs like Phir chiddi raat baat phoolonki , karo ge yaad to har baat, dekhlo aaj hamko jee bhar ke.....and Dikhayee Diye Yun are still very famous.....


Smita and Shaban Azmi had passed out from the same college and did same kind of movies. They were professional reveal but used to share a good family rapport. They did some movies together like- Arth, Nishant and Mandi. In Mahesh Bhatt's Arth(1982), Smita showed excellent acting as a schizophrenic patient. Mandi was released in 1983, where she played a role of prostitute. In 1985, she got  Padma Shri Award .





She worked with superstar of that time Rajesh Khanna in four movies-Angaaray, Akhir Kyun, Amrit and Awam. Dushman na kare dost ne wo kaam kiya hai.... was a hit song of that time. 



She worked in more than 75 Hindi and regional films in the career of 11 years. 

Some of his hit regional films: Jait Re Jait (Marathi),Saal Solvan Chadya (Punjabi) Anugraham (Telugu),Sarvasakshi (Marathi), Bhavani Bhavai (Gujrati), Anveshane (Kannada), Debshishu(Bengali), Umbartha(Marathi) Chidambaram(Malayalam). 

In 1987, Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala released, which  was unfortunately smita's last movie.Her performance was outstanding as a spice factory worker. 

She took an unconventional decisions of getting married to already married Raj Babbar.
Raj Babbar left his wife Nadira Babbar for Smita. Smita faced lots of criticism from the Feminist organisation for whom she worked hard....  Smita and Raj Babbar did lot of movies together like-Bheegi Palkein , Angaaarey(1986), Jawaab,Tajurba(1981),Awam.

Smita was only 31  when she died on 13 December 1986, because of childbirth complications just after two weeks of giving birth to Prateik Babbar. Prateik resembles his mother a lot. He was brought up by Smita's mother Vidyatai Patil.  Prateik did his debut with Abbas Tyrewala's Jane tu Jane ya Jane na....and getting lot of appreciation.

Smita had most expressive eyes and photogenic face. She played different roles in her 11 years career and she did justice to her every role. I wish, i could see her more movies.......... Smita Patil  will live forever in the  heart of her admirer .... Rest In Peace.....