Here’s everything to know about the tall, dark and handsome Babbar.

He never met his mother

Prateik’s father is actor/politician Raj Babbar and his mum was yesteryear actress Smita Patil. One might presume that being born into a Bollywood family automatically guaranteed a happy childhood for little Prateik, but that wasn’t the case. His mother died from complications when he was only 14 days old and, while growing up, his relationship with his father was strained. He had his mother’s name tattooed on his chest, as revealed on an Instagram post earlier this year.

But there’s a silver lining to every story: Babbar grew up with his maternal grandmother, whom he simply adored. In a 2012 interview, the young actor told iDiva that, “My happiness lies in her. If I don’t see her, if I don’t hear her voice, my heart gets restless.”

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He said web series revived his career

The young Babbar first worked as a production assistant, then as a model for a Kit Kat commercial before making his debut in 2008’s Jaane Tu … Ya Jaane Na. However, after 13 years of highs and lows, Babbar said that appearing on web series revived his career; titles like Zee5’s Skyfire (2019), Amazon Prime’s Four More Shots Please! (2019) and the ongoing Lionsgate Play’s Hiccups and Hookups with former Miss Universe Lara Dutta.

He told Zee Zest, “The OTT space did help revive my career. It helped me get out there and showcase my talent. I think it’s a great time for everybody – not just actors – but also directors, writers and technicians.”

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He battled drug addiction – and won

In 2017, the actor opened up to The Times of India about his battle with substance abuse that started when he was only 13 years old. “What saved me from drowning mentally and emotionally – and I say saved, because I thought everything was over for me and my career was done with – was the love and passion for the arts.”

In the same interview, he also shared that he felt a “sense of responsibility to live up to his mother’s legacy” and added that he did not see it as a weight on his shoulders, but something that he was proud of.

He also wrote a tell-all column on the Mid-Day website, in which he documented his journey through addiction in the same year: “I was surrounded in vomit and regained consciousness only 24 hours later. It’s a miracle I survived.”

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He loves basketball, martial arts and his dog Chico

Babbar grew up being very much into sports – cricket, in particular. He told iDiva, “It’s not that I hated studies, but I’d get bored. I was more interested in sports. I used to attend all the school camps.”

His love of being active carries onto adult life as the self-proclaimed fitness junkie is also a big fan of basketball and martial arts; he was even recently chosen as the ambassador of India’s Mixed Martial Arts Federation.

But what does Babbar do in his downtime? He loves to spoil his dog Chico. In an Instagram post, the actor wrote on Chico’s birthday, “happy 4th birthday to my handsome son! my handsome baby boy! my handsome best friend!”

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He is obsessed with acting

Perhaps it’s his late mother’s genes – Smita Patil is often revered as India’s greatest actress – that made Babbar so passionate about his craft. In an interview with India Today, the Bollywood star said that he does not take any opportunities for granted now, as his early success had gone over to his head. “Now, for me, acting is all I want to do for the rest of my life. So I am going to give 100 per cent to it. Whether I become poor or rich, famous or unknown, it does not matter … This is what I am here for.”

On the Netflix film, the 35-year-old actor shared with Zee Zest: “In Cobalt Blue, I am a sort of a broody artist. It is a film that is extremely close to my heart.”