16 January,2024 02:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kabir Bedi
Kabir Bedi Birthday 2024: The actor who was born on January 16, 1946 has had a rich and illustrious film career that spanned five decades, three continents, three languages, and three mediums. He remains among the first international actors from India who started from Hindi films, worked in Hollywood and then became a superstar in Europe. On his birthday today, we look at his international film journey that gave him international recognition.
Kabir Bedi was born in Lahore in the Punjab Province of British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan) into a Punjabi Khatri Sikh family. His father, 'Baba Pyare Lal Singh Bedi, was an author and philosopher. His mother, Freda Bedi, was a British woman born in Derby, England, who became famous as the first Western woman to take ordination in Tibetan Buddhism.
Not just in Indian movies, but Kabir made significant strides in international cinema with his roles in 'Knightrider', 'The Bold and the Beautiful', and 'Octopussy'. In the 1983 James Bond film, Bedi essayed the role of the villain's aide Gobinda. Apart from that, he made an impact with films like 'The Beast of War' and 'Andata Ritorno' and TV shows like 'The Bold and the Beautiful', 'The Lost Empire', 'On Wings of Eagles', 'Forbidden Territory', 'Dynasty', 'Murder', 'She Wrote', 'Magnum, P.I.', 'Hunter', 'Knight Rider' and 'Highlander: The Series'. Bedi sure had a flourishing career in Hollywood.
"Having joined Bollywood and having had a few successes and then becoming a big star in Italy, I thought it would be much easy to be in Hollywood. I was arrogant enough to think that I would breeze through Hollywood. What I got from Hollywood was lovely. I got the Bond film (Octopussy in 1983), the Bold and Beautiful⦠but what I didn't realise was that at time, people weren't writing roles for Indians so it was very hard to even get the roles because there was no role being written for you. So, I think that bit got out my arrogance, whatever little I had," Bedi had once said in an interview how his arrogance of working in Hollywood got the better of him.
ALSO READ
'Tanaav 2' is back with second season, will stream from December 6 on SonyLIV
Alaya F: For the longest time, I ran away from female centric roles I Exclusive
Have you heard? From screen to seats
'That was my biggest shock': Alaya F recalls awful experience on film sets
Have you heard? Backing his son
Recently, Bedi was awarded the "Order of Merit of the Italian Republic" (Merito della Repubblica Italiana), the most senior Italian civilian award. Talking about the same, Kabir Bedi said, "This is a very emotional award for me, Being presented the Order of Merit, Italy's highest honour, is the fulfillment of my life's work in Italy. It's even higher than Cavaliere (Knight), which they made me twelve years ago. It gives me great joy to see Prime Minister Meloni and Modi complimenting each other on the internet with #Melodi. Now it's time for the great film industries of Italy and India to produce world-class films together."
