Raj Babbar had another affair after Smita Patils death, says son Aarya: He lived in his office

Actor Aarya Babbar has opened up about his father Raj Babbar’s relationship with late actor Smita Patil, saying that while it may have once been painful for the family, everyone involved has long moved on. Raj was married to theatre veteran Nadira Babbar when he fell in love with Smita Patil. Raj and Nadira had two children, Aarya and Juhi. Raj later married Smita, and the couple welcomed son Prateik Babbar. Smita died shortly after childbirth in 1986. Raj later reconciled with Nadira.In a conversation with journalist Vickey Lalwani, Aarya spoke about growing up amid the fallout of Raj and Smita’s relationship.“I was only three or four years old then, so I do not remember what exactly was happening at home when Smita maa came into my father’s life,” Aarya said. “People often ask me how I feel about it, but there is not much to say now. Even today, everyone is still carrying those emotions.” ALSO READ: Drishyam 3 movie review: A close shave for Mohanlal, Jeethu Joseph as Georgekutty battles himself ‘We have all moved on from it’ He added that despite everything his family achieved over the years, the conversation around Raj Babbar’s affair continued to dominate public memory. “Today, I am 44 years old. This happened when I was four or five. My father accomplished a lot in life after that, and so did our family. But somehow, the biggest thing that remained attached to our lives was that my father had an affair, fell in love, and gave dignity to that relationship. That became the defining issue of our lives. Aisa nahi hona chahiye. We have all moved on from it, and because we have moved on, everyone else should move on too,” he said. Aarya admitted that no child likes hearing about their father having an affair, but said he has made peace with it over time.Story continues below this ad “Which child would like hearing that their father had an affair? But it happened, and it is okay now. Papa moved on too, he had another affair,” he said. “You should not carry so much emotional baggage about everything in life.” Aarya on Raj Babbar moving out of the house Recalling that phase, Aarya said Raj Babbar had moved out of the family home and lived with Smita Patil for some time. “He had moved out of the house and was staying with Smita maa. In fact, he bought the Rock Cliff house, where Prateik lives now,” he shared. When asked if Raj Babbar had ever legally separated from Nadira Babbar, Aarya chose not to comment in detail out of respect for Prateik and Smita Patil.Story continues below this ad “I have never had that conversation with him, and out of respect for my younger brother, I would not want to talk about it because I am talking about someone’s mother. I call her Smita maa. If I am calling her ‘maa’, then I give her that respect because my father gave her that love and respect. And I will always give Smita maa that same respect and love,” he said. Why he calls Smita Patil ‘maa’ Aarya also revealed when he began referring to Smita Patil as “maa”. “When Prateik and I were both in our twenties, I noticed that he called my mother ‘maa’. I felt that if my younger brother could give my mother that respect, then as his elder brother, I should also give his mother the same respect. That was the day I decided I would call Smita maa, maa.” Aarya on Raj Babbar moving back with family Speaking about Raj Babbar eventually moving back with the family after Smita Patil’s death, Aarya said the reconciliation happened years later.Story continues below this ad “It happened when Papa built a bungalow in Juhu and invited us to come live there. I was around nine or ten years old then. Smita ji had passed away much earlier, when I was about five,” he recalled. Aarya also said he never blamed his father for taking time away from the family after losing Smita. “If you are deeply, emotionally and mentally invested in someone, and life plays such a cruel joke that you lose them, imagine what that person must have gone through,” he said. “He probably needed