Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s dark rom-com film Saawariya which was a debut film of Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor was first offered to Prateik Babbar. In a recent interview, Raj Babbar’s son Prateik Babbar proclaimed that “ Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali was calling my house when I was 18 years old, when I was in rehab, for Saawariya. I was too young, I was in rehab so it couldn’t have worked out. But my grandparents told me a few years later.”

Prateik later clarifies that not being in a SLB film did not affect him much as at that point he wanted to be a cricketer. He confesses by saying “ I never wanted to be an actor. I just stumbled into it and it became my calling. Since both my folks were actors - and good actors. I wanted to be a rockstar at that time, far away from the world of acting. I wanted to grow my hair, wear eye make-up, face make-up and scream on stage. Before that, I wanted to be a cricketer.”

It was after Prateik refused to act in the film, is when Sanjay Bhansali casted, Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor and also included Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan in a cameo role. Later when cricket did not happen for Prateik he made his debut in acting with the film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

Prateik Babbar will be seen in Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film Bachchhan Paandey which is releasing tomorrow, 18th March in theaters. The film also stars Kriti Sanon, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Arshad Warsi.