Smita Patil

Smita Patil's life itself could easily have been scripted into the kind of Bollywood film that smells like 100 crores. Regarded as one of the finest film and stage actresses of her time, the combination of her classic, Indian beauty and her refined acting prowess gave her the kind of persona audiences had rarely witnessed before or after. 

Still, it's no secret that her personal life was far from uncomplicated. When she made a decision to openly declare her romantic involvement with actor Raj Babbar, she was labeled a home-wrecker overnight for ruining his marriage to Nadira Babbar. The same feminist organizations she had worked assiduously for turned against her and her career suffered tremendously. Soon after, at the far-too-young age of 31, Patil died due to complications during childbirth whilst giving life to her son, actor Prateik. She died misunderstood, much like an incomplete story and quite frankly, this is the main reason we'd love to know her life a little better. Perhaps this time, told through her eyes rather than all the naysayers.