Amitabh Bachchan apologises to Babu Patti over delayed children's library
Synopsis
On national television, Amitabh Bachchan did something rare — he apologised. Speaking on KBC after a contestant from Pratapgarh jogged his memory, he asked forgiveness from the residents of Babu Patti for the still-unopened children's library that Jaya Bachchan had envisioned years ago, promising: 'Khol denge hum, ghabraiye mat.'
Key Takeaways
Amitabh Bachchan publicly apologised to residents of Babu Patti , his ancestral village in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh , on an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati .
The apology concerned the long-delayed opening of a children's library — an idea proposed by Jaya Bachchan after she visited the village and saw children lacked a study space.
Jaya Bachchan had inaugurated the Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan Memorial Library in Babu Patti in 2006 , but the facility has reportedly faced functioning issues over the years.
Amitabh confirmed the library building is already constructed but has not been equipped or opened due to unspecified hurdles.
He assured villagers: 'Khol denge hum, ghabraiye mat' (We will open it, do not worry).
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan publicly apologised to the residents of Babu Patti, his ancestral village in Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, over the long-pending opening of a children's library — and assured them the facility would soon become operational. The emotional moment unfolded on the sets of the quiz reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) after a contestant from the Pratapgarh region sparked a wave of nostalgia for the Bollywood icon.
How the moment unfolded on KBC
The conversation was triggered when contestant Chandra Prakash Tiwari revealed his connection to the Pratapgarh region during an episode of KBC. On hearing the name Babu Patti, Amitabh recalled his family's deep roots there. 'Babu Patti... humare purvojon ka janmasthan tha woh Babu Patti. Aur Babuji wahi se aaye the,' he said — loosely translated: 'Babu Patti is the village of our ancestors. My father came from there.'
Amitabh's father, the celebrated Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, was born in Babu Patti, located in the Raniganj tehsil of Pratapgarh district. The village holds a significant place in the Bachchan family's heritage.
Jaya Bachchan's idea behind the library
Amitabh explained that the initiative to build a library in Babu Patti originated with his wife, actor and politician Jaya Bachchan, after she visited the village and observed that children there lacked a proper space to study and read. The couple subsequently planned and funded the construction of a dedicated facility.
Notably, Jaya Bachchan had visited Babu Patti in 2006 and inaugurated the Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan Memorial Library — established in memory of Amitabh's father. However, reports over the years have raised concerns about the library's condition and functioning.
Building ready, but doors still shut
Amitabh acknowledged that the library building has already been constructed but has not yet been fully equipped or made operational due to certain unspecified hurdles. He said the next step was to stock it with the necessary resources so that children could actually use it as a place to read and learn.
Addressing the villagers directly through the national television platform, he offered a candid apology: 'Babu Patti se jo log hain toh bhaiya hum maafi mangte hain. Khol denge hum, ghabraiye mat' — urging residents not to worry and promising that the library would open.
Significance of Babu Patti for the Bachchan family
Babu Patti is situated in the Pratapgarh region, near present-day Prayagraj, in Uttar Pradesh. It remains intrinsically linked to the legacy of Harivansh Rai Bachchan, one of the most revered figures in modern Hindi literature, best known for his iconic work Madhushala. The Bachchan family's public acknowledgement of the village — and the apology aired on one of India's most-watched television programmes — has renewed attention on the library project and what it means to the community.
With the assurance now made on national television, residents and observers will be watching to see whether the library is finally made fully functional in the coming months.
Point of View
On primetime television, to a village most of urban India had never heard of. The Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan Memorial Library has apparently stood incomplete or underused for years — a gap between intention and execution that the Bachchan family's public profile has now made impossible to quietly ignore. Whether the televised promise accelerates action or becomes another feel-good moment without follow-through is the real question. For Babu Patti's children, the building exists; the books and resources do not — and no timeline was offered.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Amitabh Bachchan apologise to Babu Patti village?
Amitabh Bachchan apologised to residents of Babu Patti for the long delay in opening a children's library that the Bachchan family had planned for the village. He acknowledged on KBC that although the building has been constructed, it has not yet been fully equipped and opened.
What is the Babu Patti children's library and who proposed it?
The library was conceived by Jaya Bachchan after she visited Babu Patti and noticed that children in the village lacked a proper space to study. The facility was planned in memory of Amitabh's father, poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, who was born in the village.
Where is Babu Patti and what is its connection to the Bachchan family?
Babu Patti is located in the Raniganj tehsil of Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, near present-day Prayagraj. It is the ancestral village of the Bachchan family and the birthplace of celebrated Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Amitabh's father.
Has a library been opened in Babu Patti before?
Yes. Jaya Bachchan visited Babu Patti in 2006 and inaugurated the Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan Memorial Library there. However, reports over the years have raised concerns about the library's condition and functioning, and Amitabh's KBC remarks suggest it remains non-operational in its current form.
What did Amitabh Bachchan say on KBC about Babu Patti?
Amitabh recalled that Babu Patti was his ancestors' birthplace and that his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan hailed from there. He then apologised directly to villagers for the library delay, saying: 'Babu Patti se jo log hain toh bhaiya hum maafi mangte hain. Khol denge hum, ghabraiye mat' — urging them not to worry and promising the library would open.
