It was an extremely proud moment for actor Prateik Patil Babbar to represent his mother, late actress Smita Patil, at the Cannes Film Festival this year. For the unversed, the restored version of the Manthan (1976), directed by Shyam Benegal, was screened at the 77th edition of the film festival. “This trip is now one of my most precious core memories. It’s been 37 years after her demise, this will remain one of the most symbolic and iconic celebrations of her legacy,” says Prateik.

The highlight of his red-carpet look was a scarf that belonged to his mother. Talking about the sentiment behind it, he says, “She is always with and around me. That is the privilege I have, being her son. She can hold me and hug me whenever I want. Her scarf was a symbolic addition to my custom outfit. It was a special tribute to her.”

The actor adds, “I have many of her scarves preserved in my cupboard. It occurred to me to carry something that belonged to her on her special day. During the fittings for my tuxedo, my stylist and I decided to add the scarf as a tribute to her. The scarf completed the entire look and was a perfect emotional touch for the occasion. I was glad people loved it because it belonged to my mom. I sure did.”

Reflecting on the reaction from people after the film was screened, Prateik shares, “One of the things that people keep saying about her is that there’s nobody who can get into the skin of a character like her. She is the greatest actress in the history of Indian cinema.” He also reveals that Naseeruddin Shah, who was present at the screening, got teary-eyed after the standing ovation.

“He got a well-deserved, standing ovation for his masterful performance and that brought tears to his eyes. I was fortunate enough to witness it first-hand. I hugged him tight and told him how much I was in awe of him.”