Tragic Life of Parveen Babi: Even her last wish was denied

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January 29, 2020:  It is impossible to judge a celebrity’s life from what he chooses to broadcast to the world at large.Beneath the perky personalities and sunny smiles, they maybe hurting, and you may never know.

Today we explore the tragic life of Parveen Babi who could see no wish come true in life or in death.

Reports suggest South star Amala Paul would soon be seen playing Parveen Babi in Mahesh Bhatt’s biographical show on the deceased actress. Being India’s first sex symbol, Parveen’s brand of beauty was unique for its time. She couldn’t be compared to anyone, as she was like none other. She would bestow the screen with the glamour of the west. The equally gorgeous Hema Malini, Rekha, and equally gorgeous Mumtaz of their time, couldn’t ever acquire what Parveen was born with.

She was from in a middle-class Muslim family based in Junagarh, Gujarat. Born 14 years after her parents’ marriage, Parveen was their only child. At the age of 10, she lost her father who was an administrator at the court of Nawab of Junagarh. This was just the first among the many losses life had in store for her.

After receiving education from Mount Camel High School and graduating from St. Xavier’s College with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, she decided to make a career in show biz and turned towards modelling. But offers to work in movies followed her soon and she made her debut in cinema with Chaitra in 1973. One would think that the beginning of a movie career would mark a life of luxuries and bliss. Not true, in case of Parveen Babi. 

At the helm of her career, the actress was paired with Amitabh Bachchan repeatedly for they made for an ’it’ couple. Soon, she developed a liking for the megastar and as rumors have it, the liking was mutual. Amitabh Bacchan was a married man then, and being a popular figure idolized by millions, he couldn’t have his reputation at stake. Hence, when the buzz started getting louder, he returned to Jaya Bachchan.

Their break-up, unlike the Amitabh Bachchan’s retreating himself from Rekha, was a sour one and took an ugly turn when Parveen Babi called him an international gangster and accused him of kidnapping and attempting to kill her. She shared in an interview that though she had lodged a complaint against him, the actor got a clean chit. It was difficult to take her allegations on Big B seriously as she was was found to be Schizophrenic.

She had once lost her heart to Danny; the romance, however, didn’t last long. As per an interview given by Danny in a film magazine, they fell in love really young and were in a live-in relationship for four years. But one day Parveen broke up with him abruptly. It came as a shock initially, but they remained friends for years even after the plug on their love was pulled off.

The next man to enter her life was Kabir Bedi and this happened in the 70s, after the later’s marriage with his wife Protima had hit the rocks. It was anything but love. She was Bedi’s second fiddle; he was a man trying to escape the infidelity of his wife, and Parveen came in handy. What Kabir Bedi had with this Bollywood diva was pure carnal attraction and this fling was meant to die out soon. In 1977, when Kabir divorced his wife, Protima, he broke off with Parveen also, leaving the actress cut up again.

She had also found comfort in the companionship of Mahesh Bhatt who was a budding director when Parveen was already a star. Mahesh was a married man, but had abandoned his wife Lorraine for her. Soon Parveen’s schizophrenia picked intensity and her attacks became frequent. Mahesh tried all he could, but her condition was beyond any treatment. Having tried and failed with all recourses, Bhatt had no options but to move out of this relationship.

When her acute depression got the better of her, she gave up her glamorous career. She was once held up at John F. Kennedy International Airport after failing to produce documents. Her mental conditioned worsened as years passed by; she ended up confined to her Mumbai apartment and spent her final years in total despondence. Parveen had also developed diabetes and a gangrene at the foot had rendered her wheel-chair bound. On 22 January 2005, on being informed by neighbors, police broke into her apartment. It is suspected that the 55-year old had been dead for over 72 hours when the body was recovered.

Its heart-breaking to see that a girl who lost her father at the tender age of 10, loved and suffered many heart-breaks, endured a lonely life, succumbed to a quiet and painful death, was even refused her final wish after death. In her last years, the actress had converted to Christianity and desired to be buried as per Christian rites. But her relatives claimed her body several days after her passing away, and buried her as per the faith she was born in. She had left 10% of her property to Christian Missionary funds and the greater part of it for the benefit of poor members of the Babi family.