For Prateik Patil Babbar, the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival will be an emotional affair, as his mother, late actor Smita Patil’s 1976 film Manthan will be screened at the Cannes Classics segment. Talking to us before he flies off to France today, he says, “My mother will be celebrated and it’s a big moment for me and my family. I’m a proud son. This is a reminder of what an amazing woman she was. I’m lucky to be her son.”

With only a few days notice, Babbar put all his professional commitments on hold to attend the screening. Manthan was a crowdfunded film as five lakh dairy farmers pitched in Rs. 2. “My grandma and aunt told me the story behind the making of the film. My grandfather was a farmer and I was always told to feel proud of my lineage.”

The actor reveals he rewatches his mum’s films “frequently”. “For me, it’s like rewatching F.R.I.E.N.D.S; you know what’s going to happen next, but you still keep watching,” he adds.

Ask if he feels his mum isn’t celebrated enough back home and he shares, “That’s the way the cookie crumbles. You get on with life. You can’t blame people. This is a symbolic moment and I hope people will be reminded about her as one of the greatest actors,” he ends.