Babil Khan takes a break, exits new film days after viral breakdown video

Babil Khan, son of the late actor Irrfan Khan, has stepped away from his upcoming project with Telugu director Sai Rajesh. The decision comes just days after Babil shared — and later deleted — a tearful video on social media, sparking widespread concern about his mental health.

‘Unforeseen circumstances’

In an emotional Instagram post, Babil hinted at the end of the partnership without going into detail.

“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 wrote.

Babil also indicated he would be taking a break from work, while expressing hope for a future collaboration.

Director responds: ‘I will miss my hero’

Confirming Babil’s departure, Sai Rajesh responded with a touching tribute:
“Babil is one of the most talented and hardworking actors I have met... I respect his decision of self-care first and wish him all the best. I will miss my Hero!”

Behind the fallout: Deleted videos and criticism

The announcement follows Babil’s now-deleted Instagram videos in which he emotionally opened up about feeling bullied in the film industry. He named several celebrities and bluntly stated, “Bollywood is so screwed.”

Although Babil later clarified that his comments were misinterpreted, the videos sparked controversy. Sai Rajesh reportedly addressed the situation in a now-deleted post, seemingly criticizing Babil’s team’s attitude.

“I slit my wrist for Sai Rajesh”: Babil

In a follow-up comment on Instagram, Babil revealed the extremes he endured for the role.

“I lived in filth… I had bugs in my beard because he needed that in the character... I slit my wrist for him,” he wrote, adding, “I gave him my laughter while I held back my tears.”

He further called Bollywood “the fakest industry I’ve ever been a part of” but acknowledged that some within the system are trying to improve it.

Clarifications and celebrity support

After backlash, Babil’s team released a statement saying the actor’s comments were misunderstood. Celebrities like Ananya Panday also expressed public support for him.

Rising star with a promising start

Babil began his film journey as a camera assistant on Qarib Qarib Single, before making his acting debut in Qala (2022). He later appeared in Friday Night Plan and the 2023 Netflix miniseries The Railway Men.