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This actress fought for women's right, married a man with kids, her name is...
Published: April 15, 2025 5:00 PM IST By Back in the golden era of Bollywood, the industry was majorly dominated by the male. There were only a few stars that shone brightly and boldly. For one such, there was an actress who was the voice of women, the one to fight against patriarchal norms.
She was not just an actress but a revolution in herself. This woman of strength, conviction, and sheer talent was an actress who expressed her views on women’s issues. Changing the narrative and breaking the stereotype of middle-class women in traditional society The actress we are talking about is none other than Smita Patil.
Born on October 17, 1955, into a politically active family, Smita Patil was destined to the shackles She began her acting career in 1975 with Shyam Benegal’s Charandas Chor, and quickly rose to fame through her work in both parallel and commercial cinema. Fluent in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Malayalam, she starred in over 80 films and received numerous awards, including the National Film Award, Filmfare Award, and the Padma Shri in 1985. Speaking of Smita’s personal life, Smita made headlines for her relationship and love life.
Smita and Bollywood actor Raj Babbar were in a relationship when Raj was already married to Nadira Babbar. She started getting a lot of backlash from the media for breaking into a married man’s home. Raj and Smita met in 1982 during the shoot of “Bheefi Palkein” and that meeting became the start of a love story.
Smita started getting a lot of criticism for her relationship that even her mother didn’t approve, she said how someone who fights for women’s rights could break someone else’s home, calling it hypocritical. When Raj Babbar’s, Nadira Babbar came to know about their relationship, she was in disbelief, so much so that she thought it was a rumor. However, when the truth came out, Nadira showed so much courage that she left Raj Babbar to live with Smita.
Nadira revealed in an interview that Smita was going through emotional turmoil and loneliness and that while it hurt, she accepted the situation because her husband’s happiness mattered to her. Eventually, Raj left Nadira to be with Smita. Smita gave birth to their son, Prateik Babbar, but fate had other plans.
Just 15 days after childbirth, she succumbed to a severe brain infection caused by post-delivery complications. While Raj Babbar was moved after Smita’s demise, he went back to his first wife, Nadira after some time. After Smita’s death, Nadira revealed that t Smita’s death had broken her along with Raj and Pratik Babbar.
Raj Babbar has two sons – Arya Babbar from his first wife Nadira, and Pratik Babbar from Smita. Smita was only 31 when she passed away. Her untimely death left the entire nation in shock.
Her last wish, according to her makeup artist, was to be dressed like a bride after her death — and that wish was honored. Smita Patil was not just an actress — she was a phenomenon. In her short yet impactful life, she changed the way Indian cinema portrayed women and how society viewed strength.
Her legacy continues through her films, her son, and the ideals she stood for — love, courage, and fierce authenticity. For breaking news and live news updates, like us on or follow us on and . Read more on Latest on .
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