Babbar: Nadira ‘mature’ enough to understand love for Smita

Smita Patil remains a legend in Indian cinema even today. She acted in more than 80 films in about a decade. Known for her beauty, grace, and strong acting skills, she won hearts in films like 'Arth', 'Akrosh', 'Mirch Masala', and 'Nishant'. But beyond her on-screen success, it was her

personal life

, especially her relationship with actor Raj Babbar, that people remember with curiosity and emotion.How Smita and Raj’s Love Story BeganRaj Babbar was already married to theatre actress Nadira when he met Smita Patil on the sets of 'Bheegi Palkein' in 1982. Their friendship grew steadily. Babbar shared in a past interview with The

Times of India

, “Smita entered my life unexpectedly. When I met Smita Patil for the first time, I realised there was depth to her character. She was generally very friendly and sought my advice once in a while. Gradually, we formed an intimate bond.”He also made it clear that his relationship with Smita was not born out of problems with Nadira. “My relationship with Smita was not the result of problems with Nadira – it just happened. Nadira was mature enough to understand my feelings. Juhi (second child) always loved being with Smita.”

The bond between Raj and Smita soon grew stronger and they decided to marry, despite the complicated circumstances.

The joy and tragedy of Smita and Raj’s marriageSmita and Raj’s married life was not easy. The society labelled Smita as a ‘homebreaker’, which added to her challenges. But despite the difficulties, their son Prateik Babbar was born in 1986, bringing joy to the family.Tragically, Smita died due to childbirth complications at just 31 years old. Raj Babbar later revealed how deeply her death affected him. “Smita left me forever. I was traumatised by her death. But I didn’t want my problems to affect the lives of those who counted on me. I sought refuge in my work, but the wounds took time to heal.”After Smita Patil’s untimely death,

Nadira Babbar

surprised many by welcoming Raj Babbar back into her life. Despite facing public ridicule for accepting the man who had left her for another woman, Nadira stood firm in her decision and never wavered.