Actor Prateik Babbar has always been vocal about his battle with substance abuse. The son of veteran actress Smita Patil and Politician Raj Babbar struggled with his addiction from a juvenile age. Subsequently, in 2013, he took a pivotal turn and fought substance abuse head-on. The actor underwent rehabilitation and has kept his vow of being sober to date. In a recent interview, the ‘Ekk Deewana Tha’ actor got candid about his challenging journey.
Speaking with Bollywood Bubble, he cleared the air about how he entered the rabbit hole. “I just want to say that people think, ‘Oh, he entered films, got fame and money, and then started taking drugs.’ No, that’s not true. My drug use began when I was thirteen years old, even before I turned twelve. Yes, I was terrified. So, it wasn’t because of the film industry. Unfortunately, I had a different kind of upbringing, and my family situation was a bit complicated. That’s why I started using drugs. It’s not that fame and money in films led me to it—I had already started using drugs then.”
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As the conversation progressed, the actor opened up about the impact of his addiction on his personal life. “And yes, it did affect me, and still does, especially in relationships. Drugs are associated with trauma, you understand. As long as that trauma isn’t released, it will continue to impact relationships and other areas of life. But there comes a time when you have to work to make things better, which I’ve been doing for many years. My fiancée (actor Priya Banerjee) has been helping me improve in many ways. We’re helping each other grow, though she doesn’t need any improvement—she’s perfect! That’s life, you know; you have to move on.”
For those unaware, Prateik Babbar tied the knot with producer Sanya Sagar in 2019. However, the duo separated in 2020, finalizing their divorce in 2023. Earlier this year, he announced his engagement with Priya Banerjee.
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Apart from Prateik, his father, Raj Babbar has also addressed his son’s addiction publicly. In an interview with Rajshri Unplugged, the politician expressed his admiration for his son’s progress. “Prateik is there (film industry) and he is doing everything. He is very sincerely working. Beech mein ek waqt aaya tha jab usne sabko pareshan kiya tha aur khud bhi pareshan raha tha lekin ab usne apne aap ko iss tarah se mold kiya hai. God is very kind. (There was a time in between when he troubled everyone and was troubled himself but now he has molded himself. He is doing good work, he is getting good offers).”
On the work front, the actor’s recent flick was Danish Aslam’s romantic comedy ‘Khwaabon Ka Jhamela.’ In the film, he stars alongside Sayani Gupta. ‘Khwaabon Ka Jhamela’ released on Jio Cinema on November 8. It now is available for streaming. Jio Studios, Jyoti Deshpande, Pammi Baweja, Harman Baweja, and Vicky Bahri have backed the title.