Career-defining performances of Smita Patil which will stay in our memories forever

‘Manthan’ (1976)

Smita Patil essayed the character of a dalit daily wage earner who stands up against sexual oppression and casteism. Shyam Benegal surely extracted the best out of this powerhouse performer.

‘Bhumika’ (1977)

Nobody else apart from Smita could have pulled off a complex character of Urvashi in the movie 'Bhumika' that released in the year 1977. That too at a tender age of 22. Unarguably one of her finest works, the movie depicted Smita in the role of an abused actress who is trying to pave way to success and fame in an industry dominated by men. It was a difficult role but Smita's acting prowess helped her earn acclaim for the movie.

‘Arth’ (1982)

Being the reason for a couple's marriage falling apart can be quite a distressing feeling and that's exactly what Smita went through as she portrayed the role of Kavita in the movie 'Arth'. She plays Inder's (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) love interest in the movie. While Inder is married to Pooja (Shabana Azmi), he is in a love affair with Kavita. Smita portrayed her character with extreme finesse and the scene where she has a final breakdown infront of Shabana Azmi was a highlight.

‘Mandi’ (1983)

Smita Patil as a woman working in a brothel and Shabana Azmi as the madam of that brothel brought out their best performances in the film 'Mandi'. In fact, Smita's innocence teamed with sharp wit overpowered Shabana's performance.

‘Mirch Masala’ (1987)

Unfortunately, her last role before her sudden demise in 'Mirch Masala' had her depicting as a feminist with a rebellious streak. Her character of Sonbai paved the way for strong women characters and she was simply amazing in the movie.