Journalism of Courage
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, wife Jaya Bachchan and veteran actress Shabana Azmi launched Maithili Rao’s book Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence, timed to coincide with Smita Patil’s 60th birth anniversary on Saturday (October 17).
Amitabh Bachchan was the chief guest at the event. He remembered Smita Patil with great fondness, saying, “I always fall short of words when asked to speak of Smita.” (Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
Big B recalled Sma Patil's inner strength and commitment to her ideals, noting how she was once dismayed upon being recognised by the public for her work in Namak Halal only. (Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
Amitabh Bachchan also spoke of her sense of premonition which was demonstrated when Patil called him on the eve of his accident on the sets of Coolie and told him that she had a nightmare about something happening to him. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Smita Patil’s frequent co-star and arch-rival, Shabana Azmi, paid a glowing tribute to Patil’s immense talent and her "raw beauty and stillness." Shabana Azmi, who had worked with Smita Patil in Arth, also regretted that the two could not be friends. She said, "There was rivalry – some of it manufactured by the media and some of it real – which caused tension. There were attempts at reconciliation and we maintained a civil relationship with each other, but we could never be friends." (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Maithili Rao thanked Patil’s family and friends for their generosity with their time and memories of the actor. Never having met the actor when she was alive, Rao said that writing the book was a journey of getting to know her. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Amitabh Bachchan snapped with Smita Patil's son Prateik Babbar. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Smita Patil’s sister Anita Patil Deshmukh, her nephew Adeetya Deshmukh and son, Prateik Babbar, were also present. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Prateik Babbar started the evening, saying that despite never having the good fortune to know his mother, he had found her to be an inspiration. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Anita Deshmukh posed with Amitabh Bachchan's wife and veteran actress Jaya Bachchan. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Jaya Bachchan was pretty in a blue and white sari. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Shyam Benegal, who had directed Patil in some of her most memorable roles in Manthan, Bhumika and Nishant, said that the actor’s lack of training was no hindrance to her ability to “blossom in front of the camera”. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
The event, which took place at the Sofitel hotel in Bandra-Kurla Complex, was attended by many personalities from the film industry. Seen here, Sonali Kulkarni and Nandita Das. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Nandita Das read an excerpt from the book. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Anita Deshmukh with nephew Prateik Babbar. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Film director, cinematographer and producer Govind Nihalani was also present at the book launch. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Theatre and film director Jabbar Patel at the book launch. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
Theatre and film actor Mohan Agashe. (Source: Varinder Chawla)
