# Prateik Babbar
**Prateik Babbar** (प्रतिक बब्बर), since 2025 billed as Prateik Smita Patil, is an Indian actor who works predominantly in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema). He is the son of the actress [Smita Patil](https://www.edgepedia.org/smita-patil), who died shortly after his birth, and the actor-politician [Raj Babbar](https://www.edgepedia.org/raj-babbar), and he made his screen debut in the 2008 coming-of-age film *Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) |
| Parents | Actress Smita Patil and actor-politician Raj Babbar[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/) |
| Screen debut | *Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na* (2008), playing Amit[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) |
| Early awards | Stardust Award for Breakthrough Performance – Male (2009) for his debut film[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/) |
| Best-reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes | *Mulk* (2018) at 90%[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/prateik_babbar) |
| Notable television role | Jeh Wadia in *Four More Shots Please*, 2019–2025, 37 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) |
| Marriage | Married actress Priya Banerjee on 14 February 2025[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) |
## Early life
Prateik was born in 1986 in Bombay to the actress Smita Patil and the actor and politician Raj Babbar, who was already married and had another family.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/) Smita Patil died within two weeks of his birth, at the age of 31, from childbirth-related complications.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/prateik-babbar-reveals-what-made-him-kick-substance-abuse-justice-to-my-mother-smita-patil-legacy-8285548/) A custody dispute followed between Raj Babbar and Smita Patil's family, along with a debate over the child's surname.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/) Prateik was raised by his maternal grandparents and attended Arya Vidya Mandir in Bandra, later studying at Jai Hind College before moving on to St Andrew's College in Mumbai.[5](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/prateik-babbar)
## Entry into film
Before acting, he spent a year as a production assistant to the advertising filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar, during which he was cast as the main model in several television commercials, including one for Nestle KitKat.[5](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/prateik-babbar) His Bollywood debut came in 2008 with *Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na*, a coming-of-age comedy starring [Imran Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/imran-khan) and [Genelia D'Souza](https://www.edgepedia.org/genelia-dsouza), in which he played Amit, the heroine's brother.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) The supporting role drew wide notice and earned him Best Debut nominations at several ceremonies, with a win at the Stardust Awards for Breakthrough Performance – Male in 2009.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/)
He then had a three-year break from films and returned in 2011 with [Kiran Rao](https://www.edgepedia.org/kiran-rao)'s *Dhobi Ghat*.[5](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/prateik-babbar) In Rao's directorial debut he played Munna, a laundryman, or dhobi, who aspires to become an actor and befriends an NRI investment banker played by [Monica Dogra](https://www.edgepedia.org/monica-dogra), opposite [Aamir Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/aamir-khan)'s reclusive painter Arun.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/Dhobi-Ghat/movie-review/7326812.cms) Critics singled him out: the Indian Express review said Prateik "walks away with the greatest accolades" of the film,[7](https://urbanasian.com/entertainment/bollywood/2011/01/dhobi-ghat-movie-review/) and a Rediff review by the critic Raja Sen called him "a treat", writing that he "provides the film's most honest moments".[8](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-raja-sen-on-dhobi-ghat/20110121.htm) The role brought him the Breakthrough Role (Actor) award at the Annual Central European Bollywood Awards.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/)
## The 2011–2012 run
In 2011 Babbar appeared in four releases that split along commercial and independent lines: the crime thriller *Dum Maaro Dum*, the political drama *Aarakshan* alongside [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan) and [Saif Ali Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/saif-ali-khan), and the independent films *Dhobi Ghat* and *My Friend Pinto*, in which he played Michael Pinto.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/prateik-patil-babbar/) In 2012 he led [Gautham Vasudev Menon](https://www.edgepedia.org/gautham-vasudev-menon)'s *Ekk Deewana Tha*, the Hindi remake of the Tamil film *Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa*, playing an aspiring filmmaker in love with Jessie, an orthodox Malayali Christian played by Amy Jackson.[10](https://www.bollywoodmdb.com/movie/ek-deewana-tha-14935/review)
## Setbacks and recovery
Babbar has spoken publicly about drug use that began at age 13, before he entered the film industry, attributing it to a disturbed childhood in which he lost his mother at birth and could not live with his father.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Prateik-Babbar) In a 2018 interview he described a long struggle with addiction and his recovery, along with nine months of theater training under director Jeff Goldberg and work on the play *Six*, later titled *Riddles*.[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/expresso-episode-9-prateik-babbar-5084616/lite/) His period in rehab had one indirect career consequence: [Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjay-leela-bhansali) had wanted to launch him in the romantic drama *Saawariya* before choosing [Ranbir Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/ranbir-kapoor).[13](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/prateik-babbar-in-drug-rehab-so-he-missed-sanjay-leela-bhansali-call-saawariya-9988318/) In interviews while promoting *India Lockdown* (2022), he said his motivation to return was his wish to do justice to his mother's legacy.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/prateik-babbar-reveals-what-made-him-kick-substance-abuse-justice-to-my-mother-smita-patil-legacy-8285548/)
## Later career
After a stretch of box-office failures, his fortunes improved with the action thriller *Baaghi 2* (2018), the comedy *Chhichhore* (2019) and the Tamil action film *Darbar* (2020), the last marking his debut in [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema).[14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPWE6IBEgro) His best-reviewed film by Tomatometer score is the courtroom drama *Mulk* (2018), at 90 percent, in which he played Shahid Mohammed.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/prateik_babbar) On streaming and television, he played Jeh Wadia across all seasons of *Four More Shots Please* (2019–2025), the longest-running role on his credits with 37 episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) In 2025 he appeared in the Hindi action film *Sikandar* with [Salman Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salman-khan) and Rashmika Mandanna, playing Arjun Pradhan, the Telugu crime thriller *HIT: The 3rd Case* with Nani, and *Dhoom Dhaam* with Pratik Gandhi and Yami Gautam.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) • [11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Prateik-Babbar) Rotten Tomatoes lists *Sikandar* as his lowest-rated film on the Tomatometer, at 6 percent.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/prateik_babbar)
## Name change and family estrangement
In 2025, after marrying the actress Priya Banerjee on 14 February, Babbar changed his professional name to **Prateik Smita Patil**, adopting his late mother's name and dropping the Babbar surname.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/) He said he did not invite his father Raj Babbar to the wedding, which was held at his mother's home.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/) The decision drew a public response from his half-brother Aarya Babbar, and the two siblings have since traded public accusations, with Aarya alleging that Prateik financially exploited their father.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/)
## References
1. [Prateik Patil Babbar, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3070408/)
2. [Prateik Babbar: News, Movies, Photos, Videos & Updates, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/prateik-babbar/)
3. [Prateik Babbar Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/prateik_babbar)
4. [Prateik Babbar reveals what made him come out of 'self-destructive' mode, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/prateik-babbar-reveals-what-made-him-kick-substance-abuse-justice-to-my-mother-smita-patil-legacy-8285548/)
5. [Prateik Babbar Filmography and Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/prateik-babbar)
6. [Dhobi Ghat Movie Review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/Dhobi-Ghat/movie-review/7326812.cms)
7. [Dhobi Ghat Movie Review, UrbanAsian](https://urbanasian.com/entertainment/bollywood/2011/01/dhobi-ghat-movie-review/)
8. [Raja Sen reviews Dhobi Ghat, Rediff.com](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-raja-sen-on-dhobi-ghat/20110121.htm)
9. [Prateik Patil Babbar, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/prateik-patil-babbar/)
10. [Ek Deewana Tha (2012) Critic Review, BollywoodMDB](https://www.bollywoodmdb.com/movie/ek-deewana-tha-14935/review)
11. [Prateik Babbar: Movies, Photos, Videos, News, Biography & Birthday, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Prateik-Babbar)
12. [Expresso, Episode 9: 'I learnt the hard way, the wrong way, and I almost lost myself', The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/expresso-episode-9-prateik-babbar-5084616/lite/)
13. [Prateik Babbar was in drug rehab, so he missed Sanjay Leela Bhansali's call for Saawariya, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/prateik-babbar-in-drug-rehab-so-he-missed-sanjay-leela-bhansali-call-saawariya-9988318/)
14. [Biography of Prateik Babbar, Dharapat (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPWE6IBEgro)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 2010s onward › Surnames symbols to G*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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