Actor Prateik Smita Patil marked Father’s Day 2026 by remembering his late maternal grandfather, Shivajirao Patil. Prateik wrote a long emotional post, crediting Shivajirao for raising and shaping him after the death of his mother, legendary actor Smita Patil, who died weeks after giving birth to him.
While Prateik paid tribute to his grandfather, fans noticed that he completely left out any mention of his father, Raj Babbar, in the Father's Day post.
Prateik shared a photo with his grandfather and wrote, 'Happy father’s day to my reason my godfather.' Fans reacted to Prateik's post, with some defending his decision and others criticizing him for ignoring his father.
Prateik and his father, Raj Babbar, have had a complicated relationship. Prateik remained close to Raj Babbar and his family for several years, but their relationship reportedly soured, and it became evident after Prateik changed his name from Prateik Babbar to Prateik Smita Patil.
Prateik's stepbrother, Arya Babbar, accused him of using their father only for financial help. Prateik seemingly responded to the allegation by posting a cryptic note on Instagram that read, 'If misinformation paid bills, some people would finally be successful.'
