Arya Babbar accuses Prateik Smita Patil of taking financial support: 'When he needs money, Raj Babbar is his father’

Prateik with Raj Babbar and Arya Babbar (Pic credit: Instagram)

Prateik Babbar, now known as Prateik Smita Patil, has had a troubled relationship with his father, veteran actor Raj Babbar. He did not invite his father or half-siblings to his wedding with Priya Banerjee and even dropped the Babbar surname. Arya Babbar recently opened up about his strained bond with his half-brother, accusing him of financially exploiting Raj Babbar.

Arya Babbar on Prateik exploiting Raj Babbar

In a recent chat with Vickey Lalwani, Arya said, "We nurture some relationships with a lot of love because they are too delicate, so you care for them a lot… We didn't understand why he suddenly stopped connecting with us as soon as his divorce from his ex-wife was sorted. I texted him and called him so many times, but there was no response."

Arya further claimed that despite publicly maintaining distance from Raj Babbar and his first family with Nadira Babbar, Prateik Smita Patil continued to receive financial support from his father. He said, "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? As an elder brother, I love him, but when he is wrong, he is wrong, and this is where he is wrong."

He added, "It is so tragic that the Smita maa, for whom my father left his family, today, that Smita maa's son is not ready to acknowledge him as his father. What could be a bigger tragedy than that?"

Arya Babbar on calling Smita Patil ‘maa'

Despite their complicated family history and relationships, Arya Babbar still calls Smita Patil ‘maa'. Explaining why, he said, "When Prateik and I were both in our twenties, I noticed that he called my mother ‘maa'. I felt that if my younger brother could give my mother that respect, then, as his elder brother, I should also give his mother the same respect. That was the day I decided I would call Smita maa, maa."

About Raj Babbar's love life

For the unversed, Raj Babbar married Nadira Babbar in 1975, and they share two children, Arya Babbar and Juhi Babbar. Raj later married Smita Patil after their relationship began during his first marriage. The couple welcomed Prateik Babbar in 1986, shortly before Smita passed away due to childbirth complications. Raj later reunited with Nadira.