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Economic Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Prateik Smita Patil's painful confession: 'My grandmother died seeing me a drug addict'
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Actor Prateik Smita Patil recently opened up about the dark chapter of his early years, candidly sharing how his dependence on drugs led to his expulsion from Subhash Ghai 's prestigious acting institute. In a heartfelt interview, the actor reflected on how substance abuse cast a shadow over both his personal relationships and budding who first appeared on the big screen in 2008 with Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, confessed that he had become what he described as a 'troubled soul' due to his addictions. Today, he carries deep remorse for the choices he made during that turbulent time."I took a series of destructive turns," he admitted. "I don't think I could have behaved differently back then. From an early age, I was grappling with emotional weight. Eventually, I chose to escape through alcohol and drugs. I surrendered to my vulnerabilities. I had my own reasons—complex, layered reasons. It's not as straightforward as it may seem today. But those decisions led to the collapse of everything—from my career path to my personal stability."Raised by his maternal grandparents after losing his mother during childbirth, Prateik described how his addiction hurt not just himself but also those who loved him most. 'In the final years of her life, my grandmother saw the worst version of me,' he shared with visible regret. 'I was deep into substance dependence. She passed away while I was still struggling. That remains one of my biggest regrets. I so badly wish she had lived long enough to witness who I've become now.'He also recounted the specific moment he was asked to leave Whistling Woods International , the film school founded by Subhash Ghai. 'After shooting Jaane Tu, I enrolled at Whistling Woods,' he recalled. 'I dabbled in classes, unsure of what I wanted. I stayed there for almost two years, but then I was expelled for using drugs. Looking back, there's a strange irony to it. I got kicked out of every academic institution I attended. I had become a danger to myself and a disruption to others.'While his journey was filled with painful mistakes, Prateik's story now carries a message of growth and healing. Through painful reflection, he is confronting his past and striving to shape a better future—one not defined by the chaos he once embraced but by the strength he's now building.
NDTV
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Prateik Smita Patil On Being Thrown Out Of Subhash Ghai's Film Institute: "I Was A Raging Addict"
New Delhi: Prateik Smita Patil is the son of the late actress Smita Patil and actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar. Prateik recently got candid about his long battle with substance abuse, and how it led to him being expelled from schools and colleges. In a conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Prateik spoke about how he had enrolled in Whistling Woods, a film institute founded by filmmaker Subhash Ghai. However, Prateik was thrown out of it because of his drug addiction. Prateik said, "I shot Jaane Tu and then I went to Whistling Woods. I was studying a little bit here and there. There was a kind of slump as I didn't know what I was doing. I was there for about 2 years and then I was thrown out of Whistling Woods for doing drugs. Now that I think about it, it is funny. I got thrown out of every school and college I went into. I was a menace." He added, "The grandparents saw the worst of me in those last few years. I was a raging addict. My grandmother died seeing me as an addict. That's something I regret. I wish she could see the man I have become today." Prateik recently got married to actor Priya Banerjee. The internet was abuzz with their intimate wedding, and Raj Babbar not being invited to their wedding. On the work front, Prateik was seen in Salman Khan's Sikandar, the film had Rashmika Mandanna as the female lead. It was directed by AR Murugadoss. Prateik was also seen in HIT: The Third Case, which had Nani and Srinidhi Shetty in the lead. The film was helmed by Sailesh Kolanu.
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First Post
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Prateik Smita Patil reveals he was thrown out of Subhash Ghai's film institute for doing drugs: 'My grandmother died seeing me an...'
Prateik Smita Patil admitted that because of this it impacted his career leading to a downfall and also expressed his regret that his grandmother passed away seeing him a raging addict read more After making his sensational debut in Imran Khan and Genelia D'Souza starrer Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, Prateik Smita Patil enrolled at Whistling Woods, an institution founded by filmmaker Subhash Ghai. However, he was thrown out of the institute for using drugs. The actor admitted that because of this it impacted his career leading to a downfall and also expressed his regret that his grandmother passed away seeing him a raging addict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The grandparents saw the worst of me in those last few years. I was a raging addict. My grandmother died seeing me an addict. That's something I regret. I wish she could see the man I have become today,' Prateik told Bollywood Bubble. 'I shot Jaane Tu and then I went to Whistling Woods. I was studying a little bit here and there. There was a kind of slump as I didn't know what I was doing. I was there for about 2 years and then I was thrown out of Whistling Woods for doing drugs. Now that I think about it, it is funny. I got thrown out of every school and college I went into. I was a menace,' the actor added. Prateik is currently enjoying the success of HIT: The Third Case, in which he played the lead antagonist. The survival action-thriller featured Nani, Srinidhi Shetty, Surya Srinivas, Rao Ramesh, Komalee Prasad, Nepoleon and others in prominent roles. The actor was also seen in Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna starrer Sikandar, which released during the Eid weekend. Directed by AR Murugadoss, the film also featured Sharman Joshi, Sathyaraj, Kajal Aggarwal, Anjini Dhawan, Sanjay Kapoor and Kishore among others in key roles. It turned out to be a colossal disappointment at the box office. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Prateik Smita Patil says he was thrown out of Subhash Ghai's film institute for doing drugs: ‘I was a menace'
Bollywood actor Prateik Smita Patil began his acting career in 2008 with the film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Soon after the film's release, the actor enrolled at Whistling Woods, an institution founded by filmmaker Subhash Ghai. However, in an interview with Bollywood Bubble, the actor recalled being thrown out of the institution for using drugs. (Also Read: Prateik Babbar says his heart goes out to Babil Khan: 'Being Irrfan Khan's son is not easy, I was crying for him') Prateik Smita Patil recalled being thrown out of Subhash Ghai's acting school.(Instagram) Prateik admitted to making the mistake of getting into alcohol and substance abuse, which led to a downfall in his career. He recalled being a raging addict and expressed regret that his grandmother passed away seeing him in that state. He said, "The grandparents saw the worst of me in those last few years. I was a raging addict. My grandmother died seeing me an addict. That's something I regret. I wish she could see the man I have become today." He further recalled being expelled from every school and college he attended due to drug use and said, 'I shot Jaane Tu and then I went to Whistling Woods. I was studying a little bit here and there. There was a kind of slump as I didn't know what I was doing. I was there for about 2 years and then I was thrown out of Whistling Woods for doing drugs. Now that I think about it, it is funny. I got thrown out of every school and college I went into. I was a menace.' Prateik was recently seen in the movie HIT: The Third Case. Helmed by Sailesh Kolanu, the film features Nani and Srinidhi Shetty in lead roles, along with Surya Srinivas, Rao Ramesh, Komalee Prasad, Nepoleon and others in key roles. The film has collected ₹ 92.5 crore worldwide so far and is enjoying a strong run at the box office. Before this, the actor appeared in Salman Khan's film Sikandar. Directed by AR Murugadoss, the film failed to make a significant impact at the box office, earning only ₹ 184.9 crore worldwide. The film, which also featured Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, and Sharman Joshi, was criticised for its lacklustre storyline.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Prateik Smita Patil's painful confession: 'My grandmother died seeing me a drug addict'
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Actor Prateik Smita Patil recently opened up about the dark chapter of his early years, candidly sharing how his dependence on drugs led to his expulsion from Subhash Ghai 's prestigious acting institute. In a heartfelt interview, the actor reflected on how substance abuse cast a shadow over both his personal relationships and budding who first appeared on the big screen in 2008 with Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, confessed that he had become what he described as a 'troubled soul' due to his addictions. Today, he carries deep remorse for the choices he made during that turbulent time."I took a series of destructive turns," he admitted. "I don't think I could have behaved differently back then. From an early age, I was grappling with emotional weight. Eventually, I chose to escape through alcohol and drugs. I surrendered to my vulnerabilities. I had my own reasons—complex, layered reasons. It's not as straightforward as it may seem today. But those decisions led to the collapse of everything—from my career path to my personal stability."Raised by his maternal grandparents after losing his mother during childbirth, Prateik described how his addiction hurt not just himself but also those who loved him most. 'In the final years of her life, my grandmother saw the worst version of me,' he shared with visible regret. 'I was deep into substance dependence. She passed away while I was still struggling. That remains one of my biggest regrets. I so badly wish she had lived long enough to witness who I've become now.'He also recounted the specific moment he was asked to leave Whistling Woods International , the film school founded by Subhash Ghai. 'After shooting Jaane Tu, I enrolled at Whistling Woods,' he recalled. 'I dabbled in classes, unsure of what I wanted. I stayed there for almost two years, but then I was expelled for using drugs. Looking back, there's a strange irony to it. I got kicked out of every academic institution I attended. I had become a danger to myself and a disruption to others.'While his journey was filled with painful mistakes, Prateik's story now carries a message of growth and healing. Through painful reflection, he is confronting his past and striving to shape a better future—one not defined by the chaos he once embraced but by the strength he's now building.
