Actor Prateik Babbar and Priya Banerjee tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on Valentine’s Day at the late actress Smita Patil’s Bandra residence. Notably absent from the wedding were Prateik’s father, veteran actor Raj Babbar, and his half-siblings, Arya and Juhi Babbar. The family dynamics took centre stage when Arya Babbar addressed the exclusion with a touch of humour and sarcasm, sharing his thoughts on social media.
Arya Babbar recently posted a video on Instagram discussing the wedding and his father’s reaction to being left out. In a lighthearted manner, Arya recounted a hypothetical exchange with the media, mirroring the questions they used to ask during his childhood. “Main bolta hoon, Papa, lekin agar media wale kal poochenge, jaise bachpan mein poochte the ‘aapko kaisa lag raha hai aapke papa ka affair chal raha hai.’ Toh iss baar puchenge ‘aapko kaisa lag raha hai aapki bhai ki shaadi hai aur aap nahi ja rahe?’” (I told my dad, if the media asks tomorrow, just like they did in childhood, ‘How do you feel about your father having an affair?’ This time they’ll ask, ‘How do you feel about your brother getting married and you not being there?’).
Arya revealed that Raj Babbar took the situation in stride, responding casually, “Mard toh shaadi karte rehte hain.” (Men frequently get married; it’s not a big deal).
In the same video, Arya humorously commented on the family’s penchant for multiple marriages, saying, “My dad married twice, then my sister married twice, now my brother Prateik has married twice, even my dog Happy has two girlfriends.” His remarks were originally part of a YouTube video and quickly gained attention for their candid tone.
Prateik Babbar is the son of legendary actress Smita Patil and Raj Babbar. Their relationship, which blossomed on the sets of the 1982 film Bheegi Palkein, led to Raj’s separation from his first wife, Nadira Babbar, and his subsequent marriage to Smita. Tragically, Smita Patil passed away at the age of 31 due to complications during childbirth, leaving behind an infant Prateik.
After Smita’s death, Raj Babbar reconciled with Nadira, with whom he shares two children, Arya and Juhi. While the absence of Raj and his children from Prateik’s wedding has sparked conversations, the family’s history of complex relationships continues to draw public interest.