Remembering Smita Patil's notable contributions to Indian cinema on her death anniversary

Thirty-three years ago, on this day, the Indian film industry lost a gem when Smita Patil passed away. Smita Patil died at the age of 31 due to childbirth complications. She was an actor and social activist who was counted among the finest stage and film actors of her time. She appeared in over eighty films in Hindi and other regional language cinema. In just a span of over twelve years, she achieved so many things. The actor had received two National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award, and the Padma Shri, which is the fourth-highest civilian honour in India.

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Smita Patil belongs to the generation of actors, who were strongly associated with the radically political cinema of the 1970s. She started her career as a TV newsreader on Doordarshan. Smita’s first major appearance on the big screen was on Shyam Benegal’s Charandas Chor in 1975. Director and screenwriter who is credited for discovering Smita later worked with her in award-winning films like Bhumika and Manthan. So well regarded is Smita Patil in the Indian cinema, that on the occasion of 100 years of the Indian cinema, a postage stamp bearing her face was released by the India Post in her honour.

Her Notable Contributions to Indian Cinema:

Bhumika

The film, directed by Shyam Benegal, stars Smita Patil, Amol Palekar, Anant Nag, Naseeruddin Shah, and Amrish Puri. The story revolves around a young artist, Urvashi, played by Smita Patil, who gets married to a dominating older man and has a child with him. Urvashi is unhappy in her marriage and starts having affairs with several men but is still dissatisfied. She finally finds a man she wants to settle down with, only to find out that he is already married with a son of his own. The film brought Smita the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance and remains a critically acclaimed role.

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Chakra

The film, directed by Rabindra Dharamraj, stars Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. The story revolves around Amma, played by Smita Patil, who lives in a slum with her child and takes two lovers. The movie shows the difficult choices she has to make and how she lives her life. During the making of Chakra, Smita Patil used to visit the slums in Bombay. Smita received another National Award for this movie.

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Mirch masala

This psychological thriller film was directed by Ketan Mehta and stars Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil. The story is set in colonial India and is a take on the status of women in society and how too much power was given to authoritative men. In 2013, on the centenary of Indian cinema, Forbes put Smita’s performance in the film on its list, "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema".

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