Smita Patil Death Anniversary: Mita Vashisht says, “Everybody was comparing me to her, once I had to say ‘I’m Smita minus the S’”

Today is the 38^th death anniversary of the legendary actress Smita Patil. To mark the occasion, fellow actress Mita Vashisht looked back at her career and shared interesting anecdotes in an interview with us.

Smita Patil Death Anniversary: Mita Vashisht says, “Everybody was comparing me to her, once I had to say ‘I’m Smita minus the S’”

Smita Patil and you were a part of the same New Wave at the same time
With Smita Patil, my name and hers have been sort of intricately linked as almost being seminal. In the sense, Mita is a part of Smita. And at one point I had to say in an interview, yes, yes, yes, I’m Smita minus the S.

Why was that?
Because everybody was comparing me to her. And she had passed away just six months before I was to graduate from National School of Drama. And strangely, a lot of the roles that were to go to her came to me. So, including the film, I think Kumar Shani’s Kasbah, he had actually had her initially in mind.

I didn’t know that!
It’s interesting that there has been a connection in many ways, her being absent made me present. So, it’s a strange connection, yes. And I did grow up watching her films as a teenager. But I never thought that one day I would be called, you know, the minute I enter the film industry or the television industry, it’s the new Smita Patil, the new wave.

But were you okay with being branded the new Smita Patil?
Not the new Smita Patil, but so much so that here comes someone who can fill the void left by her, that sort of thing. So, initially it was flattering, but it was also threatening to my individuality as an actress. So, I would try and stay away from it, as much as possible, that no, no, no, I am me and she is her. But finally, once I got tired, I said it one day, I said, yes, yes, okay, I am Smita without the S. Yes, I’m Smita minus the S. So, that became a headline at one point in time.

But I’ve always found more of Shabana Azmi in you, especially the voice
Yes, that’s true, Subhashji. Once, Shabanaji and I were in a drawing room in Paris. I think it was Indian ambassador’s house. There was a party. And we were both talking. Someone said, if I close my ears, I will feel that Shabana is asking a question to herself, and she is answering it herself. So, there was a lot of similarity, yes, in the voice. In fact, at one point of time, she wanted me and her to work together in a film.

Really, I always wanted that
Then she thought, this is the right opportunity, Sai Paranjpye’s film Saaz, in which, finally, Aruna Irani and she had played the roles of Lataji and Ashaji. But she wanted me to play the role of elder sister because younger sister’s role is more sympathetic, right? Asha Bhosle’s role.

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Sai Paranjpye must have been nonplussed
So, Sai plucked her hair, she said, no, I know Shabana wants to work with you. But first of all, you are 10-15 years younger than her. On top of that, she wants you to play the role of her elder sister. I will lose my mind because how can I show you the elder one on screen? So, either tell her to let you play the role of younger sister and she should play the role of elder sister. Which was Lataji’s role. Otherwise, forget it.

So, you opted out?
I was also not convinced about Shabanaji’s logic of me playing her older sister. That is Lata Mangeshkar and she playing Asha Bhosle. So, finally, obviously, I told Sai, you know, I can’t say no to Shabanaji. What do I do? So, she said, no problem, I will tell her. But I will tell her clearly, either you play the role of elder sister or let her play the role of younger sister. Otherwise, forget it. Otherwise, if you want to play the role of younger sister only, of Asha Bhosle, then let us find another actress.

Saaz was rubbish. Ashaji was no victim. Lataji was beyond all competition
I agree, I think Lataji is beyond. I mean she is immortal. Her voice and her music and all that she has given to music is immortal, that is forever. That is why her last date Tithi has not been connected, which is very interesting.

So, are you more Shabana than Smita?
I think Shabanaji and my voice had a similarity, but it was not beyond that, because her roles and my roles, I think our performance attitude is completely different. I feel, in her early roles, I mean in all her young-age roles, she used to play characters who could draw the sympathy of the audience, you know. She is always the one whom the audience will want to sympathize with and go with at the end of the film. Whereas I think when they said Smita and Mita, they were looking at someone who was willing to kind of step out of the secure zone perhaps.

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