Life’s been a grand adventure: Kabir Bedi

He is someone who has the distinction of having captivated fans across three continents in three different mediums — theatre, films and TV. And at 71, actor Kabir Bedi has had a life worth looking back on. But ‘looking back’ isn’t a phrase that finds a place in his lexicon. Be it as the swashbuckling Sandokan or the villainous Gobinda, Bedi has given life to characters that have charmed many over the years. However, the most charming character he’s played is that of his own.

The actor recently raised eyebrows when he married his long-time partner — his fourth so far. However, for the truly young at heart, age indeed is just a number. “I am a risk taker through and through. And I see life as a grand adventure and it won’t stop being one anytime soon,” says Kabir. But it is not just his personal life in which he follows this motto; it is his work as well. One of the first Indian actors to leave a mark in the international entertainment industry, Kabir says, “It was much harder back then for people to get into any western industry, not just Hollywood. That was because back then they weren’t writing roles that were essentially Indian. Now that has changed a lot.”

The recent years have seen a number of younger actors ranging from Priyanka Chopra to Deepika Padukone making a foray into Hollywood. “Nothing brings me greater happiness than the next generation taking India to the world. The diaspora is expanding greatly and diversity has really increased. It is a great time now,” he adds.

Another distinction that the actor holds is that he has been on the Oscars’ voting member committee for 34 years — the longest for any Indian. “I was made a member in 1982 and since then a lot has changed, especially in the technical areas. I remember that earlier they screened the films for us in the theatres, then there were cassettes and DVDs and now they deliver watermarked copies to us which decreases the chance of the films leaking out.”

Telling us about his plans, Kabir says, “Right now, I am doing Ashu’s (Ashutosh Gowariker) Mohenjodaro, which I think is going to be a wonderful film. I have a great comfort level with Ashu and one of the major reasons why I took up this film is because the subject of the film is something that really interests me. It partly deals with the Indus Valley Civilisation, which is something that has captivated me from my school days. I am quite excited about it as it will be my next big release in Indian cinema after quite a while.”

Theatre is closest to his heart, Kabir tells us, “If I had to pick one I would say that it is probably the theatre. Although all formats have their pros and cons, the freedom that comes with the stage is something I really love. But ultimately, no matter which format it is, I am an actor at the heart of it.”