Aarya Babbar pays tribute to his first guru Raj Babbar; says ‘he would narrate stories of his early struggles’

Guru Purnima marks a pious day where all the pupils celebrate and dedicate the day to their gurus. In an exclusive chat with Mid-day, Aarya Babbar got candid about his bond with his father Raj Babbar and why he calls him his first guru. 

Aarya Babbar, who essays the role of Kalikant Thakur in Zee TV’s Jagriti-Ek Nayi Subah, said, “For me, Guru Purnima isn’t just a day marked by tradition — it’s an emotion, deeply rooted in reflection. My father has been my first Guru. Watching him prepare for his shoots with such discipline — the quiet rehearsals, the meticulous notes, the mental prep — left an impression on me long before I stepped into the industry. I remember sneaking into his dressing room as a child, fascinated by the world of theatre and cinema. I would sit in the corner while he got into character, and those were my earliest masterclasses. Later, the dinner table would turn into a classroom of life — he would narrate stories of his early struggles, moments of failure, and how resilience was always the way forward. Today, I bow not only to the teachers who taught me craft, but also to the man who taught me character. On Guru Purnima, I pause and honour all those who taught me to keep going when things get hard, especially my father.”