Actor Babil Khan, son of late actor Irrfan Khan, has parted ways—at least temporarily—with director Sai Rajesh’s project, days after his emotional video stirred the internet and sparked widespread debate about mental health and respect in the film industry.
In a cryptic Instagram post on Saturday evening, Babil hinted at his exit from the yet-untitled project, saying:
“With a lot of grit, passion, and mutual respect, Sai Rajesh sir and I both got along on this journey of creating magic together. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, things didn’t go ahead as everyone had planned.”
He also mentioned taking a break from work, signaling a pause in his rising career after what appears to be a deeply emotional period.
“I know there is immense love between us, and we will meet soon in the future and create magic together,” Babil added, in a tone both gracious and wistful.
Sai Rajesh, the acclaimed Telugu director of Baby fame, also shared a heartfelt note praising Babil’s commitment and talent:
“Babil is one of the most talented and hardworking actors I have met… I will still always cherish the experience of seeing him perform in front of me… I will miss my Hero!”
However, beneath the surface of mutual admiration lies tension, much of which unfolded after Babil’s emotional breakdown video went viral earlier this week. In the since-deleted clips, Babil appeared visibly distressed and made remarks perceived as veiled criticisms of the film industry. He later clarified that his comments were misunderstood.
The situation escalated when Sai Rajesh reportedly called out Babil’s team in a now-deleted post, expressing frustration:
“Do you really think we’re that naive to just walk away silently?… It feels like only those whose names were mentioned in his video deserve respect.”
This apparent public fallout didn’t sit well with Babil. In a comment on Instagram, he emotionally responded:
“Not to mention, the pain and the suffering I put in my soul… I had bugs in my beard because he needed that in the character. I gave him my laughter while I held back my tears. I slit my f****** wrist for him.”
While it’s unclear whether Babil has officially exited the project or simply stepped away temporarily, what is evident is a strained dynamic that turned a promising collaboration into an emotional crossfire.
When media reached out to Sai Rajesh for clarification, he confirmed that Babil simply “wanted to take a break,” reiterating respect for the actor’s choice of self-care first.
With this development, fans are left hoping Babil finds healing, and that the actor-director duo—whose admiration for each other remains visible—may yet reunite for the magic they both believe in.