Aarya Babbar Reacts To Prateik Dropping ‘Babbar’ From His Name: ‘Aap Name Change Kar Sakte Ho, Wajood Nahi'
Aarya Babbar has reacted to Prateik Babbar officially changing his name to Prateik Smita Patil, discarding his father’s surname in favour of his late mother’s legacy. Reacting to the move, his half-brother Aarya Babbar shared his thoughts on identity and family bonds.
The Babbar family has been making headlines amid speculation of a rift between Prateik Babbar and his father, veteran actor-politician Raj Babbar. The speculation started when Prateik chose not to invite his father to his wedding with actress Priya Banerjee. Adding fuel to the fire, the actor has now officially changed his name to Prateik Smita Patil, discarding his father’s surname in favour of his late mother’s legacy. Reacting to the move, his half-brother Aarya Babbar shared his thoughts on identity and family bonds.
Aarya on Prateik changing his name to Prateik Smita Patil
Addressing his brother’s name change, Aarya Babbar expressed a neutral stance but said that identity is more than just a name. He told News 18, “I just have to say that Smita ma is our mother too. And what name he doesn’t want to keep and what name he wants to keep is his choice.”
He further said, “Kal ko main uthke apna naam Aarya Babbar se Aarya karlun, ya Rajesh kar lun. Main tab bhi Babbar hi rahunga na (Tomorrow, if I wake up and change my name from Aarya Babbar to just Aarya, or even Rajesh, I’ll still be a Babbar, won’t I?).”
Reiterating his point, Aarya continued, “Aap apna name change kar sakte ho, wajood nahi (You can change your name, but you can’t change your identity). Rahunga toh Babbar hi becasue wajood mera woh hi hai, aap woh kaise change kar sakte ho (I’ll remain a Babbar because my existence is rooted in that, how can you change that?).”
Why Prateik dropped Babbar from his name
Prateik, who has often spoken about his deep emotional connection with his mother, Smita Patil, explained his decision in a recent interview with Times of India. He said, “I don’t care about the repercussions. All I care about is the way I feel when I hear that name. I need to be wholly and solely associated with my mother, 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.”
Prateik Babbar and Priya Banerjee tied the knot in a private ceremony on February 14, 2025, at his late mother’s residence in Mumbai.
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