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Actor Prateik Babbar has never shied away from talking about his battle with substance abuse, a struggle he successfully overcame. The son of legendary thespian Smita Patil and actor-politician Raj Babbar, Prateik fought the demons of substance abuse in 2013, completed rehabilitation and has remained sober ever since. The actor, who made his movie debut by playing a key role in director Abbas Tyrewala’s Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na (2008), however, recently revealed that his drug use began long before he entered the film industry.
Emphasising that drug consumption affected his personal and professional lives, Prateik told Bollywood Bubble, “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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“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,” he added. Prateik, who previously married film producer Sanya Sagar in 2019, separated from her in 2020, with their divorce finalised in 2023. He got engaged to Priya Banerjee earlier this year. He is the only son of Smita Patil, considered one of Indian cinema’s finest actors, who passed away in 1986 at just 31 due to childbirth complications.
Last year, Raj Babbar also discussed his son’s struggle with addiction, expressing pride in his 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),” he said in an interview with Rajshri Unplugged. Prateik was most recently seen in director Danish Aslam’s romantic comedy film Khwaabon Ka Jhamela, wherein he plays the lead role alongside Sayani Gupta.
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