It’s a dream team. It is an abiding regret for Sanjay Bhansali that he couldn’t work with Smita Patil. Now his dream has come true in the most unexpected way. Smita’s son Prateik Babbar will be starring in a film, produced by Bhansali to be made later this year.
Raghav Dar, who assisted Mani Ratnam during Guru, and then served as the associate director on Abbas Tyrewala’s Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na, will direct the film entitled My Friend Pinto.
That’s when Raghav got to know Prateik. They decided to work together whenever Raghav directs his first film. My Friend Pinto would be Prateik’s first author-backed title role. He had a captivating cameo in Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na and apparently Aamir Khan plays the lead in Prateik’s second film Dhobi Ghat.
Naturally Prateik’s aunt Manya Patil is thrilled by the progress that Prateik is making.
“When the director Abbas Tyrewala told me about the role in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, I wasn’t so sure. It sounded like a small role. But Abbas told me to trust him. And that, the role was tailor-made for Prateik. To his credit the role turned out exactly the way it was narrated. I’m glad Prateik’s career is working out. Today there is room for all kinds of cinema. And like his mom we want Prateik to be adventurous in his choices. I’m there to guide him, though I’m not really a part of the film industry,” says the proud aunt. Manya Patil has produced one film Dubai Returned featuring Irrfan Khan and Divya Dutta.
Speaking on Prateik’s unique life as a child who lost his mother when he was born Manya says, “Actually Prateik has so many self-appointed mothers including my mother, my elder sister Anita and me, of course.”
Adds Prateik, “It’s a privilege to be working with Mr. Bhansali. When I met him I was amazed to find out how normal he is, in spite of being an artiste of such a high caliber.”
— By Subhash K Jha
