Amitabh Bachchan and Parveen Babi’s complicated bond revisited
Amitabh Bachchan and Parveen Babi were among the most popular on-screen pairs of their era. Their chemistry was widely appreciated, particularly in films such as Deewaar and Kaala Patthar. The two actors developed a friendship while working together, but their relationship later became surrounded by speculation and controversy.
At the time, rumours circulated that Amitabh and Parveen were romantically involved, despite Amitabh being married to actress Jaya Bachchan. However, these claims were never established as fact. Reports suggested that Amitabh eventually distanced himself from Parveen, something she reportedly found difficult to accept.
Parveen later made disturbing allegations against Amitabh in an interview with a magazine. She claimed that he was an international gangster who wanted to harm her and alleged that his associates had kidnapped her. She further claimed that she had been taken to an island, where she believed doctors performed surgery on her and placed a transmitter or electronic chip beneath her ear.
Her allegations attracted considerable attention, but they were later understood in the context of her deteriorating mental health. Parveen had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, a serious mental health condition that can affect a person’s perception, thoughts and behaviour. Amitabh subsequently addressed her claims and explained that her illness had caused her to become extremely fearful of other people and experience delusions and hallucinations.
Despite the painful circumstances surrounding their past, another emotional episode involving Parveen occurred years later when she unexpectedly encountered her former boyfriend, actor Kabir Bedi. The meeting took place at a hotel in 2004, approximately a year before Parveen’s death.
Kabir later recalled the encounter during a conversation with Siddharth Kannan. According to his recollection, he approached Parveen and greeted her warmly. However, she responded with visible sadness and spoke about how people believed she was mentally unwell. Kabir tried to reassure her, but the conversation reportedly took an emotional turn.
He remembered seeing a sudden change in her expression, reflecting the difficult state she appeared to be in at the time. The meeting left a lasting impression on him, particularly because he had known Parveen closely during their relationship years earlier.
Parveen Babi’s life and career remain a complicated chapter in Bollywood history. She rose to extraordinary fame during the 1970s and became one of the industry’s most recognisable actresses. Yet, behind her glamorous public image, she struggled with serious mental health difficulties and increasing isolation.
Her story has continued to generate discussion because of the contrast between her remarkable success as an actress and the personal struggles she experienced later in life. Her relationships with prominent actors, including Amitabh Bachchan and Kabir Bedi, have also remained subjects of public interest, although many claims surrounding her personal life were based on rumours and accounts that cannot always be independently verified.
