Actor Prateik Smita Patil has entered the spotlight once again as tensions within the Babbar family escalate following pointed allegations made by his half-brother, Aarya Babbar. The controversy erupted after Aarya, in a recent interview, accused Prateik of financial exploitation of their father, Raj Babbar, and criticized his inconsistent relationship with the family. In response, Prateik’s wife, actor Priya Banerjee, shared a cryptic message on her Instagram Stories, which Prateik later reshared on his social media. The post read, “If misinformation paid bills, some people would finally be successful. #IYKYK,” sparking widespread speculation about its intended target.
Aarya Babbar’s remarks, shared in an interview with journalist Vickey Lalwani, painted a stark picture of the fractured dynamics within the family. He alleged that Prateik reached out to their father, Raj Babbar, primarily when in need of financial support or seeking benefits, such as living in a house purchased by Raj for Prateik’s late mother, Smita Patil. However, Aarya claimed that Prateik distanced himself from the family when it came to acknowledging Raj Babbar publicly or maintaining consistent emotional ties. “It’s like, when your career is not doing well, and you need pocket money from dad to survive, then he is your father. When you want to live in the house that your father bought for Smita maa, then he is your father. When you want all the benefits, then he is your father. But when you have to acknowledge him and give him respect in front of society, then he is not your father. What is that?” Aarya stated, highlighting what he described as a transactional and conditional relationship.
Aarya also expressed his disappointment over Prateik’s reluctance to engage with the family, especially after his divorce from his first wife, Sanya Sagar. He mentioned repeatedly attempting to reconnect with Prateik through calls and texts, but receiving no response. “We didn’t understand when he suddenly stopped connecting with us as soon as his divorce from his ex-wife was sorted. I texted him, called him so many times, but no response,” Aarya recalled. He further remarked on the shifting dynamics within the family, including with Prateik’s wife, Priya Banerjee, whom the family initially had a good relationship with. Aarya concluded by expressing his continued love for Prateik but also his firm stance that wrongdoing must be acknowledged. “As an elder brother, I love him, but when he is wrong, he is wrong, and this is where he is wrong,” he said. While Aarya stated he would maintain some distance from Prateik moving forward, he acknowledged that their father and sister, Juhi, might still be open to reconciliation.
The family’s history has long been a subject of public interest, particularly due to the complex relationships stemming from Raj Babbar’s marriages. Smita Patil, widely regarded as one of India’s greatest actors, was Raj’s second wife. Raj was already married to theatre actor-director Nadira when he became involved with Smita, and the couple had two children together: Aarya and Juhi. Following Smita’s tragic death during childbirth, Prateik was raised by his maternal grandparents and initially had minimal contact with his father. Over time, Raj and Prateik reconciled, but tensions resurfaced in recent years, culminating in Prateik not inviting his father or members of Raj’s first family to his wedding with Priya Banerjee. The actor officially adopted the name Prateik Smita Patil earlier this year as a tribute to his late mother.
The recent social media exchange has reignited discussions about the family’s public image and the portrayal of each member. Aarya emphasized that the first family had often been painted negatively in narratives surrounding their personal relationships. “We become villains, and the world paints Prateik like a victim,” he noted, underscoring his frustration at the perceived imbalance in how the family’s dynamics are discussed publicly. Despite the ongoing controversy, Prateik remains professionally active, having recently starred in the Telugu action thriller *HIT: The Third Case*, alongside Nani.
Neither Prateik nor Priya Banerjee has directly addressed Aarya’s allegations or the cryptic nature of the social media post. The ambiguity of the message has led to widespread speculation, with many social media users connecting it to the ongoing family feud. The situation reflects the broader challenges of navigating public scrutiny while managing personal relationships in the entertainment industry.
