{"id":285454,"date":"2025-04-19T08:37:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T08:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/19\/shabana-azmi-says-she-became-surrogate-smita-patil-to-latters-parents-after-her-death-i-regret-saying-uncharitable-things-about-her\/"},"modified":"2025-04-19T08:37:32","modified_gmt":"2025-04-19T08:37:32","slug":"shabana-azmi-says-she-became-surrogate-smita-patil-to-latters-parents-after-her-death-i-regret-saying-uncharitable-things-about-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/19\/shabana-azmi-says-she-became-surrogate-smita-patil-to-latters-parents-after-her-death-i-regret-saying-uncharitable-things-about-her\/","title":{"rendered":"Shabana Azmi says she became \u2018surrogate\u2019 Smita Patil to latter\u2019s parents after her death: \u2018I regret saying uncharitable things about her\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi \u2014 two of Shyam Benegal\u2019s most iconic muses were often seen as torchbearers of parallel cinema. But behind the shared screen legacy lies a famously fraught relationship. Though both actors came from similar backgrounds and were hailed for their naturalistic performances, they were usually also pitted against each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, in a recent interview, Shabana has spoken candidly about that rivalry. She recalled how her husband, screenwriter, Javed Akhtar, often urged her to find common ground with Smita, saying, \u201cYou guys should be friends.\u201d Even actor Raj Babbar, who was married to Smita, made efforts to bridge the divide. \u201cThey wanted us to bury the hatchet,\u201d Shabana admitted. \u201cBut that never happened. It\u2019s not like the press created it all. There was definitely an inherent rivalry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Shabana also addressed long-standing claims that Smita had lost roles to her. Dismissing the idea, she told Filmfare, \u201cThere were lots of imaginary roles that she thought I had snatched from her, but it was nothing like that.\u201d She added that while both were favourites of Shyam Benegal, the filmmaker was always clear about who he wanted for each part. She went on to reveal that she was initially supposed to star in Manthan<\/a><\/strong>, the role that eventually went to Smita. \u201cShyam was very angry with me for not doing Manthan. He never forgave me for it,\u201d she said. \u201cHe wanted me for 32 days, but I was doing a lot of mainstream films then. I told him it was a 10-day role, and I could give him 16 days. He was so offended that he asked me to leave the film.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Also Read | Shabana Azmi reveals women came to her house seeking advice on marital issues after Arth\u2019s release: \u2018I realized the power\u2026\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Their onscreen rivalry became most evident in Arth, Mahesh Bhatt\u2019s landmark film<\/a><\/strong> that cast both actors together, escalating their off-screen tensions. \u201cSmita was supposed to do a special appearance as the bai, the one which Rohini Hattangadi had done,\u201d Shabana revealed. \u201cBut Smita said, \u2018I want to play the other woman.\u2019\u201d That decision altered the film\u2019s balance, according to playwright Vijay Tendulkar. \u201cHe said that\u2019s what is wrong with Arth. It is actually Pooja\u2019s story. There should have been just enough of the other woman to take the story forward. But because Smita had done it, so much more footage had to be given to her,\u201d Shabana added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Friction between the two also played out during the shoot. In one particular scene, Shabana was asked to deliver a line with crass language. Something Smita advised her against. But she went ahead after Mahesh Bhatt\u2019s then-wife, Lorraine (Kiran), encouraged it, resulting in \u201cmoments of tensions\u201d between them.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Shabana expressed deep regret over how things ended. \u201cWhat was broken was never repaired. But her parents were nice to me, and my parents were nice to her. In a strange way, after she passed away, I sort of became a surrogate Smita to her parents. Which baffled me, but it completed the circle. So I regret that I said uncharitable things about Smita<\/a><\/strong>. I really regret it. I wish I hadn\u2019t done it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n