When Smita Patil Called Out Filmmakers For Objectifying Women, Cashing In On Nudity: 'Sirf Aisi Posters…'
Smita Patil's bold views on the film industry's objectification of women continue to inspire. In a throwback interview, she criticised the exploitation of female nudity.
There’s a reason why legendary actor Smita Patil’s throwback interviews continue to keep popping up years later. The late actor’s bold take on life and the film industry at the peak of her career continues to inspire aspiring actors and fans even today. Once, Patil fearlessly spoke about how filmmakers and producers cash in on nudity and objectify women only to attract more audience in the theatres.
An old Doordarshan interview of Smita Patil has been doing the rounds on the Internet. In the clip, the Mirch Masala actor is seen calling out filmmakers for portraying female nudity on the screen. She can be heard saying, “Hero ko toh nanga dikha nahi sakte; usse kuch hone nahi waala hai. Lekin aurat ko nanga dikhaye toh unko lagta hai 100 log aur aajayenge. Hindustan ki audience par yeh baat force ki gayi hai ki dekhiye ji, ismein sex hai; aadhe nange shareer hai toh aap film dekhne ke liye aaiye. Yeh ek aisi attitude bann gayi hai jo bhut galat hai. Film agar kuch sache dil se baat keh rahi hai toh voh chalegi. Sirf aisi posters se film chalti nahi hai."
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The Bazaar actor also highlighted the industry’s double standards regarding nudity. She noted that while male nudity was considered taboo, female nudity was often exploited as a marketing gimmick. She strongly criticised this practice, arguing that it damaged the portrayal of women in cinema.
When asked whether filmmakers assumed audiences preferred seeing women objectified on screen, she responded, “It can be true for some films. But I would also say that if some pornographic films are made, then those films will run only because of that. But if there is no storyline in the film, then the audience is not stupid; they like emotional films a lot. Our family structure is so strong. So if the audience is shown the wrong thing and made to depend on that, they will start liking those things. But filmmakers and actors have it in their hands to change things."
Smita Patil, in her brief but glorious career, earned two National Film Awards, a Maharashtra State Film Award, and was bestowed with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor. Tragically, she passed away in 1986 at just 31 due to complications from childbirth.
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