Why Amitabh Bachchan Reacted Strongly To Smita Patil Sitting On The Floor And Eating With Light Men

NDTV

23-05-2025

Patil worked with Amitabh Bachchan in the film Shakti (1982).
Her son Prateik shared a story about her lunch habits on set.
Bachchan advised Patil that her actions influenced others' perceptions.
New Delhi:
Smita Patil was one of the most acclaimed actresses of the 1970s, with films like Mirch Masala, Manthan, Ardh Satya, Arth and Mandi to her credit. Despite being a phenomenal actress, she was extremely down-to-earth.
Smita Patil had worked in a film called Shakti (1982) with Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, and Rakhee.
Recently in conversation with Varinder Chawla's YouTube Channel, Smita Patil's son Prateik Smita Patil shared an incident that had taken place on the sets of the above-mentioned film.
Prateik revealed how Amitabh Bachchan had reprimanded Smita Patil for bringing lunch from home and sitting on the floor and eating with the light men.
Prateik revealed, "Such a big superstar, Smita Patil, eating lunch on the floor. One day Amitabh Bachchan called her to the side and said listen you are screwing it up for people like us. Tum baithte ho neeche aise sab ke sath toh hum kharab dikhte hain kyunki hum nahi karenge toh hum kharab dikhenge. Humko bhi karna padega abhi. Hum bure lag rahe hain aapki wajah se. (You sit on the floor with everyone, and it makes us look bad because we aren't doing it. We would also have to do it because it looks bad otherwise). And she was bindaas, she was like, aap jao van mein, main kha rahi hu (You go to the van, I am eating here)."
Amitabh Bachchan and the late Smita Patil worked in other films like Namak Halaal (1982), and Pet Pyar Aur Paap (1984).
On the work front, Prateik was last seen in HIT: The Third Case led by Nani and Srinidhi Shetty. The film also had Surya Srinivas, Rao Ramesh, Komalee Prasad, and Nepoleon, among others, in key roles.