The Babbar family feud has been making headlines ever since Prateik Babbar chose not to invite his biological father, actor-politician Raj Babbar, to his wedding with Priya Banerjee. Adding fuel to the controversy, Prateik has dropped the surname "Babbar" and now goes by Prateik Smita Patil, in honour of his late mother.
Recently, on a podcast, Prateik publicly apologised for not inviting his father, Raj Babbar, and half-brother, Arya Babbar, to the wedding. He also elaborated on the reasons behind this decision during an interview with Zoom.
Prateik explained, "My father's wife and my mother had complications in the past. A lot has been said in the press about things that go back 38 to 40 years. I was open to doing something with my father and his family for another function. But I just felt it was unethical to have him and his family at the house, considering everything that had happened between them. It simply didn't feel right. What we did felt like the right thing at the time. Now, circumstances have changed. Everything has gone south, and it's extremely complicated. But I haven't changed, I'm still the same."
He continued, "It wasn't about rejecting anyone; it was about respecting my mother and her wishes. I'm sorry that my father and his wife couldn't be there, especially in the house my mother bought to raise me as a single mother. She wanted to live in that house with me and bring me up on her own terms. I'm sorry, but that was the best decision my wife and I could make. Things could've been subtle, respectful, and calm, but people are impulsive. They say things without thinking, and it leaves a bitter taste. That bitterness remains."
Prateik married Priya Banerjee on February 14, 2025, in a private ceremony, without any members of the Babbar family in attendance.
Raj Babbar married Nadira Babbar in 1975, and they have two children: Juhi Babbar and Arya Babbar. In 1983, he married actress Smita Patil, with whom he had Prateik in 1986. Tragically, Smita passed away due to childbirth complications later that same year. Raj and Nadira eventually reconciled and are living with their kids, Juhi and Arya Babbar.
