Aarya Babbar Speaks Out After Prateik Babbar's Valentine's Day Wedding, Excludes Father

Mumbai: Prateik Babbar, the son of legendary actors Smita Patil and Raj Babbar, recently tied the knot with Priya Banerjee on Valentine’s Day in a private ceremony. However, the low-key affair, which took place at Prateik's late mother Smita Patil’s home, has stirred emotions within his family due to the exclusion of family members from the celebration. The wedding, which was attended by a select group of close friends and family, was notably restricted to Priya Banerjee's side of the family. Despite being one of Prateik's closest relatives, his father, Raj Babbar, and his half-siblings, Aarya and Juhi Babbar, were not invited to the intimate event. 

As the wedding ceremony concluded, the decision to exclude the key family members caused hurt and disappointment within the family, particularly from his elder brother, Aarya Babbar, who has expressed his feelings publicly.

In a conversation with film journalist Subhash K Jha, Aarya opened up about his thoughts on the situation, acknowledging that there may be underlying family issues that influenced Prateik’s choice. However, his biggest concern was the absence of their father from the wedding.

Aarya said, “Somewhere we as a family must have failed him,” indicating that there might have been issues within the family dynamics. He then shared his disappointment over Prateik’s decision not to invite Raj Babbar, stating, “Not inviting our Papa, his Papa (Raj Babbar), how can he do this? Papa is very, very hurt.”

Aarya went on to reflect on the emotional impact of Prateik’s decision, particularly in relation to their late mother Smita Patil. “By doing this, Prateik has hurt his mother, the great Smita Patil ji, as well. If he stops to think for a moment, he would know that his mother, whom he respects and loves so much, must be very hurt. Would she want this?” he asked, adding a poignant reflection on how Prateik’s choice might have affected the memory of their mother.

Despite the tensions, Aarya clarified that Prateik has always been welcomed in their family, expressing no hard feelings. He emphasised, “Prateik was never treated as a stepbrother. The doors of our hearts are always open to him.” Aarya also wished Prateik well in his marriage, hoping that the actor finds happiness in his new life and career.

Aarya further shared his belief in Prateik’s potential in Bollywood. Having seen him grow up in a family of renowned actors, Aarya expressed confidence in his brother’s talent. “I always believed he had the talent to be another Ranbir Kapoor,” he said. However, he also expressed concern that Prateik might be taking the wrong advice, saying, “But somewhere he has gone astray. We fear someone is giving him wrong advice.”

Following their wedding, Prateik and Priya made their first public appearance together on February 14, dressed in elegant ivory outfits. The couple’s appearance marked the beginning of their new journey together, though it was overshadowed by the unresolved tensions within Prateik’s family.

As the Babbar family navigates through these personal challenges, it remains to be seen whether Prateik and his family will reconcile in the future, at a time when the questions about his family dynamics continue to linger.