Exclusive: Shyam Benegal Remembers Smita Patil On Her Death Anniversary

Remembering the actress, he said, “As a person, Smita was without affectation and never saw herself as a star. She’d jump to move the light, get someone a glass of water and run to do odd jobs on the set. She was simple in her tastes and never hankered after anything. She came from such a background; her mother was a social worker and worked for slums and NGOs. Also, she was independent and forward-thinking, a rebel of sorts. She had bits of her in all her characters. Whether she was a paradox with regards her personal life (Smita got involved with a much-married Raj Babbar)… I’d rather not go into that area. Did she confide in me? Well, I didn’t encourage her. But she was a very, very sincere person. She placed her entire trust in you. And when you put your trust in someone it makes you vulnerable. It’s then easy to hurt them. Also, if you become someone’s confidante, you’re okay. But the person, who has confided in you, has in some way become dependent on you. There’s a certain power that you have over the person. I didn’t want that. It was her life and she had to live it her way.”

Shyam Benegal then shared that Smita always felt that she wouldn’t live long as she was born prematurely.

He said, “Smita always felt she wouldn’t live long as she was born prematurely. But that was about it, she was not prone to any kind of drama. The last time we met was in Paris. I was shooting Susman (released in 1987) there. She was also shooting there and came across to meet us. Then all of us went around Paris and had dinner. She was already married then (Smita married Raj Babbar) and overall our worlds had changed.”

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“Her death soon after on December 13, 1986 came as a shock. She had slipped into a coma after developing septicaemia barely two weeks after the birth of her son Prateik (November 28, 1986). I was there when she passed away at Jaslok Hospital, right next to my house. She would have surely done much more than just films. How can I forget her? She left a void no one can fill,” shared Shyam Benegal.