Babil Khan and Sai Rajesh part ways; former steps back from 'creating magic together' for self care

Actor Babil Khan, son of the late Irrfan Khan, is once again in the news—this time, for stepping away from a promising film collaboration with National Award-winning director Sai Rajesh. The decision follows an intense period of emotional turbulence that unfolded publicly over the last few days.

Babil had been cast in the Hindi remake of Baby (2023), a Telugu film directed by Sai Rajesh. However, things took a turn after a video surfaced online showing the young actor breaking down emotionally. While many expressed support, it also attracted sharp remarks. Sai Rajesh, taking to Instagram, criticised the response from Babil’s team, calling it a “sympathy card” move and questioning the narrative being pushed.

This triggered an emotional response from Babil, who, in a now-deleted comment, wrote, “I slit my fu**ing wrist for him,” referring to the dedication he had shown for a character in Rajesh’s film. The comment stirred concern among fans and sparked broader conversations about mental health pressures on young actors.

Now, both Babil and Rajesh have issued statements confirming that they’ve chosen to part ways on mutual terms.

“With a lot of grit, passion, and mutual respect, Sai Rajesh sir and I both got along on this journey of creating magic together. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, things didn’t go ahead as everyone had planned,” Babil stated. He further noted his need to take time off and wished Rajesh and the team well.

The filmmaker, while acknowledging the outcome, maintained respect for the actor. “Babil is one of the most talented and hardworking actors I have met in my life... I respect his decision of self care first,” Rajesh wrote.

Amid the turmoil, Babil received quiet but steady support from industry peers. Friends like Ananya Panday, Raghav Juyal, and Siddhant Chaturvedi extended warmth and solidarity, publicly standing by him during the peak of online chatter. Their gestures reflected the importance of a support system when emotional struggles spill into the public eye.

While the collaboration may be on hold, both sides have left the door open for future possibilities—suggesting that “creating magic together” might just be delayed, not denied.