Smita Patil was a leading Bollywood actress from the 1970s to the 1980s in both Hindi and Marathi cinema. Her unconventional beauty and arresting screen presence made her the undying symbol of the new wave cinema in India. Born at Pune, Smita Patil worked as a news reader and was also an accomplished photographer when Shyam Benegal discovered her.

She was an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. Her debut in Shyam Benegal`s Charandas Chor (1975) was followed by Jabbar Patel`s Saamna of the same year.

The role Bhumikathat would make her a star was of the Harijan (Untouchable) woman in Manthan (1976). Bhumika in 1976, again with Shyam Benegal, was another powerful role of the legendary Marathi film star Hansa Wadkar. Bhavni Bhavai (1980) portrayed her as a tribal woman, free and wild at heart. Films like Muzaffar Ali`s Gaman and The Naxalites (1979), Chakra (1980), Bazaar (1982) were appropriate vehicles for her talent. Others like Ardh Satya (1983), Tarang (1984), Mirch Masala (1985) where she played the heroic Sonbai who defies authority and conventional oppression, are films that cannot be definitely categorized as mainstream or art house.

Smita Patil was also a women`s rights activist and became famous for her roles in films that portrayed women as capable. In addition to such roles, she was proficient in mainstream cinema as well - Dil-e-Nadaan (1979), Namak Halal and Arth (1982), Ghulami and Tere Sheher Mein in 1985, Dehleez in 1986 and Thikana (1987), to name a few. Patil acted in regional films as well - Mrinal Sen`s Akaler Sandhaney in Bengali, Aravindan`s Malayalam film Chidambram, and the Kannada film Anveshane, directed by T.S. Nagabharana.

Smita Patil`s work has been honoured at the La Rochelle festival and also by the French Cinematheque in 1984. A posthumous exhibition of photographs - at the National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai (1992) - has earned her a reputation as an amateur photographer. She was a women`s activist and a member of the Women`s Centre, Mumbai. She married the actor Raj Babbar, and her death in 1986 shortly after childbirth was a loss to the country and the film industry.

Awards Won By Smita Patil
Winner
1978 - National Film Award - Best Actress for Bhumika
1982 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Chakra
1982 - National Film Award - Best Actress for Chakra
1985 - Padma Shri Award

Nominated
1978 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Bhumika
1983 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Bazaar
1984 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Arth
1984 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Mandi
1985 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Aaj Ki Aawaz

Films Acted by Smita Patil

Year	Film	Role
1974	Mere Saath Chal	Geeta
1974	Samna	Kamley
1975	Nishant	Rukumani
1975	Charandas Chor	Rajkumari (Princess)
1976	Manthan	Bindu
1977	Bhumika	Ushavari
1977	Jait Re Jait
1978	Kondura	Parvati
1978	Gaman	Khairun Hussain
1978	Sarvasakshi	Sujatha
1980	Bhavani Bhavai	Ujaan
1980	Aakrosh	Nagi Lahanya
1980	Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hain	Joan
1980	The Naxalites	Ajitha
1981	Chakra	Amma
1981	Sadgati	Jhuria
1981	Tajurba
1982	Baazar	Najma
1982	Shakti	Roma Devi
1982	Namak Halaal	Poonam
1982	Umbartha	Sulabha Mahajan
1983	Arth	Kavita Sanyal
1983	Mandi	Zeenat
1983	Ghungroo	Kesarbai
1983	Ardh Satya	Jyotsna Gokhale
1983	Qayamat	Shashi
1984	Aaj Ki Aawaz	Rajni Deshmukh
1984	Raavan	Ganga
1984	Pet Pyaar Aur Paap
1984	Sharaabi	Meena
1984	Mera Dost Mera Dushman	Lali
1985	Chidambaram	Shivagami
1985	Ghulami	Sumitra Sultan Singh
1985	Debshishu	Utpalendu Chakraborty
1985	Aakhir Kyun?	Nisha
1985	Mera Ghar Mere Bachche	Geeta Bhargav
1986	Aap Ke Saath	Ganga
1986	Amrit	Kamla Shrivastav
1986	Dilwaala	Sumitra Devi
1987	Mirch Masala	Sonbai
1987	Dance Dance	Radha
1987	Thikana	Shashi Goel
1987	Sutradhar	Prerna
1987	Insaaniyat Ke Dushman	Lakshmi Nath
1988	Waaris	Paramjit
1988	Hum Farishte Nahin	Roma
1989	Galiyon Ke Badshah	Tulsi