Chitrangada Singh Reflects on Her Resemblance to Smita Patil

Synopsis

In a recent Instagram video, Chitrangada Singh shared touching memories of her debut film and the comparisons made between her and the legendary actress Smita Patil. She expressed gratitude for the compliments and discussed her journey into acting, highlighting her experiences and feelings of being an outsider in the industry.

Key Takeaways

Chitrangada Singh shares comparisons with Smita Patil.
She recalls touching compliments from Ketan Mehta.
Discussed her journey into the film industry.
Reflected on feelings of inadequacy on set.
Expressed gratitude for recognition.

Mumbai, April 23 (NationPress) Actress Chitrangada Singh, who recently appeared in the OTT series ‘Khakee: The Bengal Chapter’, discussed the likeness between herself and the iconic actress Smita Patil.

On Wednesday, she took to her Instagram to share a video featuring an eye lens brand, recounting how, following the screening of her debut film ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’, numerous prominent figures in the film industry complimented her performance and remarked on her resemblance to the late actress.

In her video, Chitrangada expressed, “In my first film, ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’, it was the first moment I saw myself on the big screen. After the screening, Ketan Mehta, the director who has collaborated extensively with Smita ji, approached me with tears in his eyes, stating, ‘Today, I almost felt as if I saw Smita on screen’.”

“That was the greatest compliment of my life. I recall that even Shekhar Kapur made a similar comment, and Naseeruddin Shah sir also mentioned it. Many have shared this sentiment with me over the years, and I feel both thankful and intimidated by being compared to someone of her caliber.”

While discussing the brand collaboration, the actress recreated one of Smita’s classic photographs.

Previously, in a conversation with IANS, she shared how she landed her role in the film, which marked her entry into Hindi cinema.

She disclosed, “I have never studied acting or performed in theater. It was truly serendipitous that I was discovered while modeling in Delhi. Director Sudhir Mishra was searching for the character Geeta Rao and hadn’t found anyone suitable. Lyricist Swanand Kirkire, who was then Sudhir’s assistant, helped me a lot in preparing for the audition. That’s how my journey began.”

Chitrangada further noted that she felt quite disoriented during the shoot, as her co-actors like Kay Kay Menon discussed emotional arcs and character development. Coming from a non-acting background, she felt out of her element on a set filled with cinematic language and technical jargon.

“One day, I told Sudhir, 'I don't know what to do’. He replied, ‘That’s perfect because in the scene, all you need to do is react. I don’t want you to act.’ It was a profound realization for me; I understood that I wasn’t missing anything or lacking in any way,” she concluded.