Prateik Babbar dedicates his latest role from 'India Lockdown' to his late mother Smita Patil; here’s what he said!

Many people were shocked to learn that Prateik Babbar would be portraying a migrant worker in Madhur Bhandarkar's upcoming movie India Lockdown. The actor has a more urban reputation than one might anticipate for an actor playing such a role. However, the actor and the director had different perspectives. Prateik and co-star Sai Tamhankar talk with Hindustan Times about the difficulties of portraying migrant workers and how Prateik's role was a tribute to his late mother, Smita Patil.

Even if some people might have questioned his ability to carry off the part, according to Prateik Babbar, he never felt nervous. He said, “I completely surrendered to Madhur sir. I have to give him credit and bow down to him for having that conviction because that gave me the confidence to portray this character with the utmost sincerity and honesty,”

The actor claims that the responsibilities that came with the role made him feel invested in it. He clarifies, “I was immediately invested because we know the kind of lives these people live. Our heart was already there. I won’t call it pity but it does feel bad to see them go through so many hardships. Both Sai and I were very invested in these characters. It’s a huge responsibility to represent this community. It was essential to present this bitter truth of their lives.”

Prateik Babbar

Although the part may be new to his filmography, Smita Patil, Prateik's mother, excelled at portraying people with a strong connection to the community. Smita, who is regarded as one of the best actors in Hindi film history, gained notoriety for her performances in movies like Mandi, Manthan, Mirch Masala, etc. Both Prateik and Madhur regarded India Lockdown as a chance for Prateik to honour her.

Prateik further said, “I was also extremely invested because the first time I met Madhur sir, he said, ‘Prateik teri maa aise kirdaar nibhaati thi. Tu agar ye jee-jaan se karega to ye tribute ho sakta hai Smita Patil ko (your mother used to play such roles. If you do it with full honesty, it can be a tribute to Smita Patil)’. And I just said, when do we start? Every single day on set, I used to think about her. Every single day! Whatever the outcome of the film be, this character is dedicated to this community and my mother.”

Sai Tamhankar

In the movie, Sai Tamhankar portrays a domestic helper and the spouse of Prateik's character. She claims that in addition to the demanding outdoor schedule, it was difficult to put oneself in the characters' shoes. “To be very honest, shooting outdoors, having difficulties, or not having the usual comforts that you have is a secondary thing. I think what it did to us mentally is very important. All of us are very privileged people and we had to portray the exact opposite. So, like Prateik said, it was a huge responsibility to represent this particular class of society,” she shared.

Sai claims that the film's refusal to emphasise one person's suffering while downplaying another is what initially drew her to it. She further says, “What I like about this film is that you can’t really compare anybody’s sorrow to another person’s. It’s a film about how people faced the challenges they had to face and how they emerged from it.”

About India Lockdown

Shweta Basu Prasad, Aahana Kumra, and Prakash Belawadi are also featured in India Lockdown. Zee5 will debut the movie on December 2.