Arya Babbar defends Raj Babbar's 'pure love' for Smita Patil
What's the story
Arya Babbar, son of veteran actor Raj Babbar, has come out in defense of his father's relationship with late actor Smita Patil.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Babbar said what his father and Patil shared was not an affair but "genuine pure love."
He added that as a child he couldn't understand their relationship, which led to a strained relationship with his father.
Childhood struggles
Babbar recalled being hunted by media over father's affair
Recalling his childhood, Babbar said, "When I was 6-7 years old, I used to enjoy playing hide and seek but I wasn't playing hide and seek with my friends, I was playing it with the media."
"They would pop out of anywhere, throw a microphone in my face and ask me, 'Your father is having an affair. how do you feel?'"
Family acceptance
'That was pure love that Papa and Smita ma felt'
Babbar further added, "But honestly, that wasn't an affair. That was genuine pure love that Papa and Smita ma felt for each other. As a family, we understood and respected that relationship, and accepted it."
"But when you are 6-7 years old, you don't understand all of this. And it was because of this, that my relationship with my father was strained."
Silver lining
'Baap itna bhi galat nahi tha': Babbar on Raj's relationship
Babbar, who is now 43 and has been married for over eight years, has come to terms with his father's actions.
He said, "Now that I am 43 and I have been married for 8-9 years, I understand, 'Baap itna bhi galat nahi tha (My father wasn't that wrong).'"
He also thanked Raj and Patil's relationship for giving him his younger brother Prateik Babbar.
Family history
A brief history of the Babbar family's relationships
Raj was married to Nadira Babbar from 1975 to 1983. After meeting Patil on the set of their 1982 film Bheegi Palkein, he left Nadira to marry Patil.
Their son Prateik was born in 1986 but tragically, Patil died soon after due to complications during childbirth at age 31.
Raj and Nadira reconciled a few years later and they have two children together - Arya and Juhi Babbar.