A wave of deep emotional discussions has taken over social media following a highly pointed and heartfelt Father’s Day post shared by Bollywood actor Prateik Smita Patil. The actor, who was previously known to the public as Prateik Babbar, chose to completely bypass his biological father, veteran actor and politician Raj Babbar, during the global celebration. Instead, Prateik dedicated a long, moving tribute to his late maternal grandfather, the prominent social activist and politician Shivajirao Patil, who stepped in to play the foundational role of a father figure throughout his life. Sharing a rare, tender photograph of them together, Prateik poured his heart out, using the public platform to openly acknowledge the man who shielded and shaped him following the tragic and untimely demise of his mother, the legendary Indian cinema icon Smita Patil.
In his extensive and emotionally loaded caption, Prateik referred to his late grandfather as his ultimate reason and his true godfather, stating that words could never fully express how incredibly lucky he felt to have had him act as both a grandfather and a father. He added that he remains forever indebted and grateful for the unconditional love, warmth, and guidance he received during the years they spent together in the physical world. Reflecting on his own personal growth, the actor remarked that the older he gets, the more he realizes that his grandfather was truly the greatest and most dignified man he has ever known or will ever know in this lifetime. Concluding the beautiful post with deeply emotional finality, he thanked his grandfather with the phrase thank you for raising me and instilling your remarkable values in me, proudly declaring himself a part of his extraordinary legacy.
This pointed omission has brought the actor’s historically complicated and fractured relationship with his biological father, Raj Babbar, back under the absolute glare of the media spotlight. The tension within the family has been mounting steadily over the past couple of years, becoming highly visible when Prateik officially dropped his father’s surname to legally adopt his mother’s name, transitioning to Prateik Smita Patil on all official public platforms. This quiet estrangement from the Babbar household became even more undeniable when Raj Babbar and Prateik’s step-siblings were completely absent from his private wedding celebrations when he tied the knot with actress Priya Banerjee. The family divide was further highlighted when Prateik’s half-brother, actor Arya Babbar, publicly criticized him in an interview, accusing Prateik of using their father’s name and resources only when it brought financial or career benefits while failing to offer him basic societal respect.
The root of this unique family dynamic traces back to 1986, when Smita Patil tragically passed away from severe childbirth complications just fifteen days after giving birth to Prateik at the young age of 31. Following her sudden death, Raj Babbar returned to his first wife, Nadira Babbar, leaving the newborn child to be taken in and completely raised by his aging maternal grandparents, Shivajirao and Vidyatai Patil, in Mumbai. Over the decades, Prateik has frequently spoken about the immense emotional challenges of navigating life as an orphan, noting that his father was always heavily preoccupied with his other family and political commitments. While fans remain deeply divided in the comments section—with some urging him to mend ties with Raj Babbar and others fiercely defending his right to honor the grandparents who genuinely raised him—Prateik’s heartfelt post stands as a powerful testament to the enduring love that saw him through his darkest times.
To know such latest updates tuned tellyboosters.com Thank you
