| Parveen | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 4, 1949 Junagadh |
| Died | January 20, 2005 (aged 55) Mumbai |
| Occupation | Actress |
Parveen Babi (Gujarati: પરવીન બાબી, Hindi: परवीन बाबी, Urdu: پروین بابی) (4 April 1949 - 20 January 2005) was an Indian actress, who is most remembered for her glamourous roles alongside top heroes of the 1970s and early 80s[1] in blockbusters like Deewar, Namak Halaal, Amar Akbar Anthony and Shaan[2][3].
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Personal life and education
Babi was born in Junagadh in to muslim family. She did her early schooling in Aurangabad and later attended St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad. Her father Vali Mohammed Babi, was an administrator with the Nawab of Junagadh. Babi was born fourteen years after the marriage of her parents and was the only child.
Parveen did not marry but shared intimate relationships with married men: director Mahesh Bhatt, actors Kabir Bedi, and Danny Denzongpa. Parveen was also rumoured to have a relationship with her co-star Amitabh Bachchan. Mahesh Bhatt later wrote and directed Arth (1982), a semi-autobiographical film about his extramarital relationship with Babi, and wrote and produced Woh Lamhe (2006) based on actual facts about his relationship with her [4].
Career
Parveen was considered to be one of the most successful Bollywood actresses in the 1970s and was known for her portrayal of iconoclastic women who did not care about the conventional norms of society. She made her film debut with film, Charitira, in 1973 while still in college [5].
She was the first Indian actress to have been featured on TIME magazine's cover, in March 1977. In her most successful films, she was paired opposite Amitabh Bachchan, who was one of the biggest stars of the decade, in cinematic blockbusters like Deewaar (1975) Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Shaan (1980), Kaalia (1981), and Khud-daar (1982).
She was often compared with her contemporary Zeenat Aman due to their common image of being sex-symbols. In fact, she acted alongside Zeenat in Mahaan (1983) and Ashanti (1982) (inspired by the American television show Charlie's Angels, with the third role played by Shabana Azmi). [1] In films like Deewar (1975), Shaan (1980) and Namak Halaal (1982) her screen presence may have been minimal (the films largely working around the hero) but Babi brought a certain attractive aloofness to the roles and songs she appeared in. In Manoj Kumar's big hit Kranti (1981), she stole scenes with her supporting role from Hema Malini, the heroine of the film. Babi also acted in offbeat films like Vinod Pandey's Yeh Nazdeekiyan (1982).
Her success did not run into the mid-eighties as she had left the film industry to move to New York in 1983. Many of her completed films released in the following years right uptill her last film releasing in 1988. In New York she became associated with the spiritual philosopher U. G. Krishnamurti.
Later life
She returned to Mumbai in 1992 where she was unrecognizable as her former self after having put on a considerable amount of weight. She accused many foreign dignitaries and her former co-star, Amitabh Bachchan, of conspiring to kill her but her petition in court was dismissed for lack of evidence. She also filed an affidavit in the special court hearing the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, claiming that she had evidence to show, but she did not turn up in court after being summoned saying that she was afraid of being killed.
It is speculated that Parveen Babi suffered from schizophrenia and had become a recluse due to her paranoia. It also probable that she was not schizophrenic but had a Delusional Disorder DSM-IV TR and withdrew from society. It is probable that her mental disorder could be Substance-Induced Psychosis, as she allegedly took LSD and other hallucinogens with her lovers Mahesh Bhatt - in addition to drinking heavily and also consuming marijuana. The move to New York was in order to obtain confidential psychiatric treatment, or perhaps partially motivated by the initial psychotic break - as she did not trust psychiatrists in India to keep her information confidential.
However, she managed to maintain her posh penthouse apartment in Mumbai and live affluently from sound financial investments. She was diabetic for most of her life - possibly due to the side-effects of powerful anti-psychotic medications.
Death
She was found dead in her Mumbai apartment on 20 January 2005 after her residential society secretary alerted the police that she had not collected milk and newspapers from her doorstep for two days [6]. She was found to have gangrene of the foot as a complication of her diabetic condition. The police ruled out any foul play.
After her death, her religious orientation came under dispute, when three priests who brought along a baptism register came from All Saints’ Church, Malabar Hill and claimed that Babi had converted from Islam to Roman Catholicism. A priest named Avinash claimed that she was baptised on 21 June 1997, and would often attend prayers. The priests demanded that Babi be given a Catholic burial, but were subsequently turned down as there were no certificates or signatures of Parveen Babi. Her burial was conducted according to Islamic rites and Babi was buried next to her mother at Santa Cruz, in Mumbai on 23 January 2005.[7]
Filmography
- Charitra (1973)
- Charitraheen (1974)
- Dhuen Ki Lakeer (1974)
- 36 Ghante (1974)
- Trimurti (1974 Film) (1974)
- Majboor (1974)
- Kala Sona (1975)
- Deewaar (1975)
- Bullet (Film) (1976)
- Bhanwar (1976)
- Rangeela Ratan (1976)
- Mazdoor Zindabad (1977)
- Maama Bhanja (1977)
- Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)
- Mastaan Dada (1978)
- Chandi Sona (1977)
- Darinda (1977) (1977)
- Chalta Purza (1977)
- Chor Sipahee (1977)
- Aahuti (1978 film) (1978)
- Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978)
- Kaala Patthar (1979)
- Suhaag (1979 film) (1979)
- Shaan (1980)
- Ek Gunaah Aur Sahi (1980)
- Do Aur Do Paanch (1980)
- The Burning Train (1979)
- Ashanti (1981)
- Meri Aawaaz Suno (1981)
- Ameer Aadmi Ghreeb Aadmi (1981)
- Kaalia (1981)
- Raksha (1981)
- Kranti (1981)
- Gunahgaar (1980)
- Mangal Pandey (1982)
- Desh Premee (1982)
- Dil Aakhir Dil Hai (1982)
- Bad Aur Badnaam (1982)
- Taaqat (1982)
- Yeh Nazdeekiyan (1982)
- Namak Halaal (1982)
- Khud-daar (1982)
- Jaani Dost (1983)
- Razia Sultan (1983)
- Chor Police (1983)
- Kanoon Meri Muthi Mein (1983)
- Mahaan (1983)
- Rang Birangi (1983)
- Arpan (1983)
- Sitamgar (1985)
- Telephone (1985)
- Bond 303 (1986)
- Avinaash (1987)
- Aakarshan (1988)
| Year | Film | Costars |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Majboor | Amitabh Bachchan |
| 1975 | Deewar | Amitabh Bachchan |
| 1977 | Amar Akbar Anthony | Amitabh Bachchan |
| 1979 | Suhaag | Shashi Kapoor |
| 1981 | Kaalia | Amitabh Bachchan |
| 1981 | Meri Awaaz Suno | Jeetendra |
| 1982 | Namak Halal | Shashi Kapoor |
| 1982 | Ashanti | Mithun Chakraborthy |
| 1982 | Khuddar | Amitabh Bachchan |
| 1983 | Rang Birangi | Amol Palekar |
Further reading
- Parveen Babi’s Confessions [PDF]
- Perfumed memories by Mahesh Bhatt Dawn
- Parveen Babi on UG Krishna murty [PDF]
References
- ^ Filmography
- ^ Parveen Babi dies, alone in death as in life Times of India, 22 January 2005.
- ^ 'Parveen wanted to be left alone' Times of India, 30 January 2005.
- ^ Mahesh Bhatt: Parveen Babi and I Dawn, 31 December 2006.
- ^ Bollywood star Parveen Babi dies BBC News, 22 January 2005.
- ^ Parveen Babi found dead in Mumbai Indian Express, , 22 January 2005.
- ^ Chaos, confusion mark Parveen Babi’s funeral - 24 January 2005, Express India
External links
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