- By Swati Singh
- Fri, 01 May 2026 08:51 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The love story of Raj Babbar and Smita Patil remains one of Bollywood’s most intense and tragic romances of the 1980s— an affair that blossomed amid admiration, controversy and heartbreak. Raj and Smita met on the film sets late 1970s and early 1980s. Both were two of the finest actors in Indian cinema. Smita Patil, celebrated for her bold roles in parallel cinema and Raj Babbar, rising across mainstream and art films, grew close through their shared love for meaningful cinema, turning professional respect into a deep emotional bond.
When Raj Babbar married Smita Patil out of wedlock
Raj Babbar married Smita Patil in 1983, despite being previously married to Nadira Babbar. The couple met on the set of the film Bheegi Palkein (1982) and had a son, actor Prateik Babbar, in November 1986. Smita Patil tragically passed away on December 13, 1986, shortly after childbirth. Their relationship challenged conventional norms of the time, making headlines and stirring debates across the industry.
But, fate had other plans. Shortly after giving birth in 1986, Smita Patil passed away due to childbirth complications at the young age of 31, leaving behind a void that could never truly be filled. Her untimely death brought a tragic end to a love story that was as passionate as it was controversial. For Raj Babbar, it marked a period of profound personal loss.
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Decades later, the story of Raj Babbar and Smita Patil continues to be remembered—not just for its controversy, but for the intensity of their connection and the heartbreaking way it ended.
Recently, on her birth anniversary, Raj Babbar took to his Instagram handle and rememberd Smita Patil. He even penned a heartfelt note, which read, "Smita had a very spl gift - a very profound sense of empathy which reflected so intensely whn she enacted characters esp those tht narrated the story of an average Indian."
"The sea of raw emotions on her face nvr required any spl preparation. This to me was all bcoz of the spl bond tht she shared with the diff sections of the society and the interest she took in the real life stories of the common man. Such was Smita Patil. Remembering her on her birth anniversary today," the note further read.