Kabir Bedi and Parveen Babi’s passionate relationship remains one of the most talked-about love stories in Bollywood’s history. Their romance bloomed during a turbulent period in Kabir’s life, he and his first wife, Protima Bedi, were in an open marriage, with both finding love elsewhere. While Protima was involved with a French man, Kabir found comfort in Parveen’s company. But their love ended on a bitter note after signs of Parveen’s mental health struggles began surfacing, prompting Kabir to urge her to seek medical help.Years after her tragic and solitary death in 2005, Kabir Bedi opened up in a recent chat with Siddharth Kannan about his last meeting with Parveen Babi, which took place just a year before she passed away.“She was by the pool… said, ‘People think I’m mad’”Kabir recalled that the encounter happened at a hotel in India where Parveen was sitting alone by the poolside.“Waha Parveen ko dekha, vo pool ke pass baithi thi,” he said, sharing that it was during a time when the media had been heavily criticising her over her allegations against Amitabh Bachchan.“Press was saying she was mad, extra. Jab mai mila, she said, ‘Hi Kabir.’ I said, ‘Hi Parveen. How are you?’ She said, ‘I am fine, but people think I am mad.’”Trying to comfort her, Kabir told her not to worry about what people say, explaining that everyone has their own perception of sanity. But what came next shook him.“Suddenly her expression changed. She said, ‘You are also one of them, you also think I am mad.’”She then asked him to leave. Kabir, heartbroken but respectful of her space, quietly walked away.
“I was sad, but relieved she had a roof over her head”While the meeting left Kabir Bedi deeply affected, he found some solace in knowing that Parveen was financially independent and had started working as an interior designer.“Mujhe jana pada waha se. I was very sad, par mujhe is baat ki tasali thi ki financially vo settled thi. Unke pass ek makaan tha, ek career shuru kar rakha tha as an interior designer. And she was not wanting for anything,” he shared.“Ek saal baad vo guzari toh mujhe wakayi bahut dukh hua. Mai janta tha ki kitna usne saha hoga, jhela hoga, suffer kiya hoga.”Parveen Babi: A star dimmed by inner turmoilOne of the most stunning and successful actresses of her time, Parveen Babi redefined glamour in Hindi cinema. However, behind the dazzling exterior was a woman battling serious mental health issues. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Parveen gradually withdrew from public life and the film industry.She passed away in 2005 at the age of 50, alone in her Mumbai apartment.
