Prateik Babbar to host Smita Patil’s birthday bash in Lucknow

O n the set of director Anubhav Sinha’s next, ‘Mulk’, actor Prateik Babbar is hosting a celebration for his mother Smita Patil on her birthday (October 17). His father Raj Babbar is also expected to be present on the sets in Lucknow.

“We are going to be cutting a 10kg cake for about 170 people. I have always wanted to celebrate her birthday on a film set, as that was the place that breathed life to her passion and made her who she was. I will also be bringing red roses and white lilies as she loved flowers. My father will be joining me on set, and I hope to have him join me in the celebrations too,” says Prateik, who recently joined Rishi Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu in Lucknow.

Ra.One and Tum Bin director Sinha is a huge fan of the late actor and is delighted that such an event is taking place on his film’s set. “I have very high regards for Smitaji. I have admired her movies like Manthan, Mirch Masala, Chakra…she was an actor in real space and no discussion on the meaning Indian cinema is possible without her. For the first time, I am also working on a film that is in a real space, so, I can relate more to her,” says Sinha, who is shooting for the first time in his home state.

“I regret that I was not able to meet two people -- Raj Kapoor saheb and Smitaji. Luckily, I met Shammji (Kapoor) and am now working with Rishiji (Kapoor). Smitaji left us all early, but now I am working with Prateik, who is so talented and brings such a lot of energy on the sets. I feel blessed to have a team that has Rishiji, extremely talented Taapsee (Pannu), Prateik, Manoj Pawha and Neena Gupta, who are all in real acting space,” says Sinha.

The birthday bash is being organised by Prateik with his manager and the film’s executive producer Sagar Shirgaonkar at a haveli (part of the film set) in the by-lanes of the Old City.

The team has been shooting in the mango belt of Malihabad. “After shooting there I came to know there is a lot of film history associate with this ‘Bali House’. Its the same place where Shyam Benegal’s Junoon (with Shashi Kapoor and Naseerudin Shah), Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan (with Rekha) and Anil Sharma’s Gadar (with Sunny Deol) had been shot,” says Sinha.

I have always wanted to celebrate her birthday on a film set, as that was the place that breathed life to her passion and made her who she was. PRATEIK BABBAR ACTOR Smitaji was an actor in real space and no discussion on the meaning Indian cinema is possible without her ABHUBAV SINHA DIRECTOR

Director Abhubav Sinha and actor Prateik Babbar on the sets of Mulk in Lucknow