Smita Patil was born on 17 October 1955 in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Her father, Shivajirao Girdhar Patil, was a politician and social activist, while her mother was Vidyatai Patil. Smita grew up in an environment that exposed her to social and cultural issues from an early age.
Before entering films, Smita worked as a television newsreader and was involved with theatre. She studied at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, and gradually developed an interest in acting.
She made her film debut with Shyam Benegal's Charandas Chor (1975) and soon became closely associated with India's New Wave or parallel cinema. Her collaboration with filmmakers such as Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani, Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray helped establish her reputation as an actress capable of portraying complex and socially relevant characters.
Her performance in Bhumika (1977) earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. She won the award again for Chakra (1981). Other acclaimed performances came in Manthan, Jait Re Jait, Aakrosh, Umbartha, Arth, Mandi, Ardh Satya and Mirch Masala.
Unlike many actresses associated exclusively with parallel cinema, Smita also appeared in successful mainstream films. Her popular commercial films included Namak Halaal (1982), Shakti (1982), Aaj Ki Awaaz (1984) and Amrit (1986). Her ability to move between realistic cinema and mainstream entertainment demonstrated her versatility.
Smita Patil was married to actor Raj Babbar. Their son, Prateik Babbar, was born in November 1986. Tragically, Smita died on 13 December 1986 in Bombay (now Mumbai) at the age of 31, from complications following childbirth.
In recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema, Smita Patil received the Padma Shri in 1985. Several of her films were released after her death, further extending her cinematic legacy.