Smita Patil: Celebrating Legendary Actress Birth Anniversary with a Glimpse into Her Life, Movies, and Songs

SMITA PATIL BIRTH ANNIVERSARY: Born on October 17, 1955, Smita Patil remains a legendary actress and trendsetter in Indian cinema. While Bollywood has seen its fair share of superstars, there was only one Smita Patil. Describing her as one of the brightest and finest stars of her era doesn’t do justice to her legacy, as she was an institution.

The actress has known for her exceptional performances in groundbreaking films like Manthan, Bhumika, Aakrosh, Chakra, Arth, Chidambaram and Mirch Masala, among others. Sadly, her time in Bollywood was very short, as she left us at the young age of 31. Today, on her birth anniversary, let’s explore her life as an actress, her memorable films and iconic songs.

A Glimpse Into Smita Patil’s Journey

Smita Patil’s journey began as a news anchor on Doordarshan. However, it was the filmmaker Shyam Benegal who recognized her talent and gave her opportunity to work in his 1975 film, Charandas Chor, which marked her big screen debut.

The actress continued to appear in more Benegal films’s including Manthan and Nishant.

After becoming an accomplished actress, Smita was honoured with National Award for the film Bhumika, where she shared the screen with Naseeruddin Shah.

In 1980, she again won the National Award for Chakra. Interestingly, she was the youngest artist to be honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, for her outstanding contributions in cinema.

Family life

Smita Patil’s life became centre of attention due to her relationship with the Raj Babbar, which blossomed on the sets of 1985 film Bheegi Palkein.

During the time, Raj was already married to Nadira Babbar and they had a son, Arya.

Despite facing criticism and controversies, the couple decided to get married and welcomed Prateik into their life.

Tragically, days after giving birth to Prateik, the actress took her last breath on December 13, 1986, leaving behind many heartbroken.

Smita Patil’s Top Movies

1. ManthanThis 1976 film by Shyam Benegal, was the first crowd funded Indian film. The movie delved into issues of politics, class hierarchy and the cruelty on women.
2. BhumikaSmita Patil portrayed the character of Usha, a role based on the life of Marathi actress Hansa Wadkar. Her outstanding performance earned her the first National Award of her career.
3. Mirch MasalaKetan Mehta’s film is another masterpiece in Smita Patil’s career. Her performance earned her a well deserved spot in Forbes’ list of the 25 Greatest Acting Performances in Indian Cinema.
4. Namak HalalSmita Patil and Amitabh Bachchan’s 1982 film was a major blockbuster of its era. It featured an ensemble cast including the legendary Waheeda Rehman and Shashi Kapoor
5. BazaarSmita Patil portrayed the character of Najma and the film’s plot revolves around the practice of bride buying.

Smita Patil’s Top Songs

• Aaj rapat jaye to
• Dushman na kare dost
• Husn ki waadiyon mein
•  Janam janam ka sath hai
• Jaane kaise kab kahaan.