By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On Her 68th Birth Anniversary
Born this day in 1955,Smita had become a legend, a cult, in her life time. Interestingly, she received more media attention posthumously. Smita was a keenly devoted actress on screen as in her real life. She acted bravely and boldly, accepting challenges as though they were price trophies. She volunteered to do roles which no other actress of her day would touch even with a bargepole, or a pair of tongs. Her roles in “Manthan”, “Bhumika”, “Nishant”, “Chakra”, “Aakrosh” , “Arth” & “Ardh Satya”, “Shakti”,”Ghunghroo”, “Namak Halaal” & “Mirch Masala” ( in commercial genre) will remain etched in the minds and memories of Indian cine-goers for years to come.
In ‘Ardh Satya’ with Om Puri
One of Smita’s most cherished desires was to work in a Punjabi film in the role of a Punjabi ‘mutiyaar’. Unfortunately this desire was fired and triggered by Rama Vij’s role in “Chan Pardesi”. Smita was so impressed with “Chan Pardesi” that she expressed her desire to Raj Babbar. Raj Babbar had played the role of Rama Vij’s son ( out of wedlock) in “Chan Pardesi”. Babbar promised that he would make a film on his own with a similar theme. But Destiny, it seemed, willed otherwise. The project had to be abandoned.
It was right about that time that Raj was signed to act in film “Waaris”, based on a Punjabi fictional work. Raj Babbar suggested the producers that Smita Patil be given the pivotal role of Kharbanda’s daughter-in-law. The producers could not say no to Raj & consented to include Smita in the cast.
“Waaris”,as the film’s title suggests, is a movie about inheritance & inheritors. Amrish & Kharbanda are two brothers. The former had only one son, while the latter had many.At the time of dividing the property between the two, father gave a lion’s share to much obedient son Kharbanda including his self-acquired property. This irked Amrish Puri and in a fit of anger he killed his father. He was nabbed & sent to jail. The day he was released from jail, was the day on which Kharbanda’s son ( Raj Kiran) was to wed Smita Patil. Amrish thinks of a diabolican plan -murder of Kharbanda’s son before he consummates his marriage. Smita is rendered widow before she has climbed into the nuptial bed. The film has many twists and scenes of enmity, hatred and disdain. Smita is in no mood to give up. She makes her sister Amrita Singh(who is in love with Raj Babbar) to agree to marry Kharbanda. Amrita gives Kharbanda the heir he needed so badly. Amrish now plans to kill or kidnap the baby boy. After a prolonged bloody struggle, they thwart Amrish Puri’s devilish designs.
The film was shot in a village near Karnal in 1985. I was then posted there. I went to cover the shooting with a friend officer on a luna bike to the venue where the shooting was underway. It was swampy & full of mud; a place difficult to reach. Since I knew Babbar I could talk to Smita and Kharbanda, albeit brief as it was a working day & I was to reach back after lunch break. Amrish Puri had since returned to Bombay.
