Known for his deep voice, larger-than-life screen presence, and extreme good looks, Kabir Bedi is an esteemed actor for film, television, and theatre; a voiceover artist; a talk show host; an author; and a philanthropist with a global footprint.
Every relationship comes with a shelf life; that duration could be a minute or even a lifetime. If, for whatever reasons, a relationship cannot last a lifetime, contrary to what the two people imagined, then both the individuals have to be communicative and have to understand and accept the reality.
Kabir Bedi
Early Life
Kabir Bedi was born on January 16, 1946, in Lahore. His father, Baba Pyare Lal Singh Bedi, was a Punjabi Sikh author and philosopher. His mother, Freda Bedi, was an English woman who became the first Western woman to take ordination in Tibetan Buddhism. Kabir went to Sherwood College in Nainital, Uttarakhand for his schooling. He later joined the prestigeous St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, where he pursued a BA in History.
Acting Journey
Kabir Bedi began his career in Indian theatre, performing in plays such as Shakespeare’s “Othello” and Girish Karnad’s “Tughlaq.” He also played a self-destructive alcoholic in Vijay Tendulkar’s acclaimed play The Vultures. In London he starred in “The Far Pavilions,” the West End musical adaptation of M. M. Kaye’s novel, at the Shaftesbury Theatre. He also played Emperor Shah Jahan in the play “Taj,” written by John Murrell, which toured Canada in 2013.
Film Debut and Sandokan
Bedi made his debut with OP Rahlan’s Hulchul (1971) with Zeenat Aman, where he played the role of Mahesh Jetley. This was the start of a prolific career that spanned multiple continents and languages.
His other early Hindi film roles include Surendra Mohan’s Sazaa (1971), Raj Khosla’s Kacche Dhaage (1973), Ranjan Bose’s Yauwan (1973), Mahesh Bhatt’s Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain (1974), Dev Anand’s Ishq Ishq Ishq (1974), Rajkumar Kohli’s Nagin (1976), Daku Aur Mahatma (1976), Ashanti (1979), and many more.
Kabir gained international fame for his portrayal of the pirate Sandokan in this Italian TV miniseries, Sandokan (1976). The series was a massive hit in Europe and established him as a major star. He reprised his iconic role of Sandokan in Sergio Sollima’s Italian adventure film “La tigre è ancora viva: Sandokan alla riscossa! (1978)” and the TV miniseries “Il Ritorno di Sandokan (1996).”
International Career
Kabir’s international film debut came with Clive Donner’s “The Thief of Baghdad (1978),” starring Roddy McDowall, Terence Stamp, and Peter Ustinov. His most famous star moment came when he was cast in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983). In the film he played the villainous Gobinda, the henchman of the main antagonist Kamal Khan. His performance gets him wide spread appreciation and brought him recognition in Hollywood.
Some of his other international films were The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire (1981), 40 Days of Musa Dagh (1982), Satan’s Mistress (1982), The Beast (1988), Escuadrón (1988), Beyond Justice (1992), Lie Down with Lions (1994), The Maharaja’s Daughter (1994), and The Lost Empire (2001).
Apart from his work in films, he also had a significant career on TV with appearances in series like Dynasty (1982, 1986), General Hospital (1983), Knight Rider (1985), On Wings of Eagles (1986), One Life to Live (1986), The Days and Nights of Molly Dod (1987), Murder, She Wrote (1988), Magnum, P.I. (1988), Misteri della Giungla Nera, I (1991), The Bold and the Beautiful (1994), Highlander: The Series (1995), and many more.
Kabir Bedi – Back to Hindi Films
In 1988 he returned to India for Rakesh Roshan’s “Khoon Bhari Maang,” opposite Rekha and Sonu Walia. In the film he portrayed a man who murdered and fed his wife to crocodiles. His powerful and belivable performace made him one of the most hated villains of Hindi films. Kabir Bedi continues to mesmerize the audience with his powerful portrayals in films like Police Public (1990), Yeh Aag Kab Bujhegi (1991), Kurbaan (1991), Dil Aashna Hai (1992), Yalgaar (1992), Kshatriya (1993), Yugandhar (1993), Kranti (2002), Asambhav (2004), Main Hoon Na (2005), Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005), Blue (2009), Kites (2018), Dilwale (2015), Mohenjo Daro (2016), Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (2023), and Berlin (2024).
Personal Life and Legacy
Kabir Bedi”s first marriage was to Protima Gauri, the legendry model and Odissi dancer. The couple had two children, Pooja Bedi and Siddharth Bedi. Kabir was in a relationship with Parveen Babi, but they broke up after few years. He later married Susan Humphreys, Nikki Bedi, and Parveen Dusanj-Bedi. Kabir faces a personal setback whenhe lost his son Siddharth to suicide in 1997. His other son, Adam Bedi, is an international model.
His autobiography, “Stories I Must Tell: The Emotional Journey of an Actor,” offers insights into his personal and professional life.
Kabir Bedi’s contributions to cinema and theatre have been recognised with numerous awards and accolades. He gets the Capri Fest Lifetime Achievement Award (2002), the Flaiano International Prize (2007), the Pegaso D’oro Lifetime Achievement Award by the Premi Internazionali Flaiano, Italy (2007), the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Wolfsburg Cineways International Film Festival in Germany (2019), and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Venice Film Festival (2022).
Bedi received Italy’s highest civilian honour, the “Cavaliere” (Knight) of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, from the Italian government (2010).
Kabir Bedi on IMDB
