Prateik Babbar Drops Raj Babbar’s Surname, Chooses to Honor Smita Patil’s Legacy

Prateik Babbar has made a bold decision to honour his late mother, the legendary Smita Patil. He has officially dropped his father Raj Babbar’s surname and will now go by Prateik Smita Patil. This change is deeply personal for him, as he wants to be solely associated with his mother’s legacy.

Prateik and actress Priya Banerjee tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony on 14th February 2025. The wedding took place at his mother’s Mumbai home, with only close friends and family in attendance. However, his father Raj Babbar, along with siblings Arya Babbar and Juhi Babbar, were not invited, which sparked discussions on social media. Amidst this, Prateik’s decision to change his name has added to the buzz.

Speaking to Times of India, Prateik shared his thoughts on the name change, saying, “I’m just thinking about what makes me and my soul feel better, and what makes my heart smile, not thinking if it will negatively affect my career. I don’t care about the repercussions. All I care about is the way I feel when I hear that name.”

He further elaborated on why he wanted to make this shift. “I need to be wholly and solely associated with my mother (Smita Patil), her name and her legacy. I don’t think any other name needs to taint that legacy, if you understand what I mean. It needs to just be her name and her legacy. That’s what I’m striving to be. I’m striving to be like my mother and not like my dad. It feels like a new chapter.”

When asked about his bond with his father, Priya Banerjee stepped in and said, “Whenever he feels the time is right to speak about it, to speak about things that he has never spoken about, he will. He’s born into this industry. This industry is his friend. The media is his friend. He has nothing to hide. He’s never hidden anything. His past, his present.”

Prateik himself admitted that things are complicated at the moment but assured that when the time is right, he will open up. “It’s extremely complicated for the time being and as Priya mentioned, when I am ready to talk about things that I haven’t before and that need to be spoken about, it will clear the air, not just for me, but for everybody, even that family.”

Prateik’s decision to embrace his mother’s name marks the beginning of a new phase in his life, one where he fully embraces his identity and the legacy of Smita Patil.