Prateik Babbar and Priya Banerjee tied the knot on Valentine’s Day in an intimate ceremony, choosing to celebrate their love in a deeply personal way. The couple opted for a ghar ki shaadi, marrying in the very house that Prateik’s late mother, legendary actress Smita Patil, had purchased in Bandra, Mumbai.
The wedding was a private affair attended only by close family and friends. Pre-wedding rituals, including haldi and mehendi, preceded the traditional ceremony. However, the absence of the Babbar family, including Prateik’s father, veteran actor-politician Raj Babbar, and his half-siblings, Aarya and Juhi Babbar, sparked speculation.
Addressing the rumours, Priya Banerjee clarified that no important family member was absent. Speaking to Hindustan Times, she said, “There was absolutely no family member who was missing from the wedding or our celebrations. I don’t know why there are rumours that “family members” were absent. Our families where there including my parents, his aunts who raised him, his nana-nani and everyone who mattered and is family was with us. And there was absolutely nobody who is family was missing.”
The couple had always been open about their relationship, though their sudden wedding took some by surprise. Priya reflected on the transition, saying, “Honestly, being married to Prateik and being married didn’t feel any different. We had been together for a very long time. It had been almost five years, we had lived under the same roof. More than that, I felt like I had known him forever. It felt the same.”
Prateik, on the other hand, viewed their bond as something beyond just this lifetime. Adding a philosophical touch, he shared, “It felt like I was doing this for the thousandth time. This was like another lifetime, another universe. I felt like I married her in every lifetime and every universe, and this was another one… and there were many more to go.”
Meanwhile, Aarya Babbar expressed his disappointment over being excluded. Speaking to ETimes a day before the wedding, he said, “Nobody from the Babbar family was invited—not even my father.” He also hinted at external influence, adding, “I presume someone has overpowered his brain too much. He is not wanting to connect with anyone from this side of the family.”
Following the wedding, Aarya further criticized Prateik’s decision, calling it disrespectful to their late mother, Smita Patil. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said, “Main iss hadd tak kehta hoon ki theek hai hamari maa Naadira ko nahi bulana chahte the woh, for whatever reason… I will give him the benefit of the doubt. He didn’t want to invite me or my sister Juuhi (Babbar), okay. But at least he should have invited that person who Smita maa had loved, his father. Yeh cheez disrespect hai towards Smita maa.”
This marks Prateik’s second marriage after his previous union with Sanya Sagar.
