Everytime we remember Smita Patil, while we feel proud of her achievements, it also makes us feel a deep sense of loss. A loss that the Indian film industry never recovered from. She was more than just a great actress. She was an inspiring woman. She was free-minded, passionate, inspiring and dare we say, bold! That reflects in the movies that she has done. Today on her birthday, we would like to remind you to watch these Patil gems and rest assured, you will never get to watch something as good and awesome as these films ever again! My Mother’s Biopic Should Be Called ‘Ek Thi Smita’, Says Prateik Babbar

Manthan (1976)

Shyam Benegal's this film is remembered by one and all. It was a take on the White Revolution in India of the 70s and was a tale of triumph against all odds. Patil played a Dalit woman who was fiercely protective of her space and didn't care a damn about how she leads her life. The flamboyance with which she carried her character here makes it a fascinating watch.

Bhumika (1977)

Smita Patil was all off 22 when she brought to life the complicated journey of Hansa Wadkar on the big screen. A real actress to play an actress on reel seems like cakewalk but Bhumika was not the usual rise fall and redemption biopics that Bollywood loves to dish out these days. It was a self preservation story of a girl who did everything others wanted her to but eventually realises her true worth. The nuanced performance of Patil won her the National Film Award for Best Actress.

Chakra (1981)

Chakra's depiction of life in a slum in Mumbai back in the 80s will give anyone goosebumps. Smita Patil played a woman who loses her husband after she lands in the city and now has to fend for herself and her child. The many decisions she takes to make it happen forms the crux o the story. Her powerful performance as a woman trying to make ends meet should be taught in acting schools.

Namak Halal (1982)

Why this? Well, it may not be one of her gems but this proves that Smita Patil was a versatile performer. If she can be assertive in films listed above, she can be just a hero's fancy in a movie and yet make it look so much smarter. So if anybody had any doubt she didn't suit the commercial cinema mode, you haven't watched Namak Halal!

Subah/Umbartha (1982)

Smita Patil featured in both the Marathi (Umbartha) and Hindi (Subah) versions. She played a superintendent of a Mahila Ashram in this film who come to terms with many realities of life. If she was a fierce and confident superintendent, she was also a reticent wife who wanted her husband to be supportive. It's amazing how Smita Patil instills in you the sense of self-worth with her portrayals...her character here does just that to you. The message is loud and clear...if you don't care for yourself, no one would.

Arth (1983)

Smita Patil played the other woman, hopelessly and self-destructively in love with a married man. Her mental illness makes her delusional and Patil portrayed the role with utmost conviction. At times, you start empathising with the woman who is the reason a marriage went bust.

Mandi (1983)

Two of the greatest actresses of Indian Cinema Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil, who were considered rivals, worked together in this film and made it memorable. Mandi is about the flesh trade where Smita Patil starts out as an innocent girl relishing the attention but then turns shrewd later on. Apparently, this film ignited the rivalry between them.

Akhir Kyon (1985)

It's as if Arth returned to her filmography, only this time she played the wronged wife. It's a riveting tale of a girl who is wooed and later wedded by a man. However, he leaves her for her sister. Smita Patil's reticent and yet assertive performance is something that every wronged woman would relate to. It's easy to give in, but then what's left of your being....Patil's performance made that apparent.

Mirch Masala (1987)

You are just an ordinary woman, how can you take on a mighty subedar? That was the plot that kickstarted Mirch Masala but the end turned out to be simply delicious. Patil played a feminist at a time when people didn't even know or cared what it meant. The grit and determination portrayed by her in the film mirrors how she led her personal life too.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 17, 2019 08:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).