Prateik Babbar and Priya Banerjee tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony on February 14, 2025, at the late Smita Patil’s residence in Mumbai. Surrounded by close family and friends, the couple exchanged vows in a setting that carried deep personal significance. However, notable absences at the event—Raj Babbar, Arya Babbar and Juhi Babbar—became a talking point on social media, raising questions about family dynamics.
In the midst of these discussions, Prateik made a bold decision to drop his father’s surname, choosing to go by Prateik Smita Patil as a tribute to his mother’s enduring legacy. Addressing this change, he told the Times of India, “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 expressed his deep emotional connection to his mother’s name and legacy, emphasizing that he wished to be solely associated with her. “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 Prateik’s relationship with his father, Priya Banerjee responded, stating that he would speak about it when the time felt right. “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.”
As Prateik embarks on this new phase of life with Priya, his decision to embrace his mother’s name stands as a powerful statement of identity and tribute, marking the beginning of a deeply personal journey.
