Yet behind the fame, magazine covers and blockbuster success lay a deeply troubled personal life that often made as many headlines as her films. Years after her passing, actor Kabir Bedi opened up about the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding her death, revealing details of the actress' lonely final days that continue to haunt Bollywood fans even now.

In his memoir, Bedi described the devastating condition in which the actress was found, painting a tragic picture of a woman who had once been adored by millions but died in painful isolation.

From Model To Bollywood's Most Glamorous Star

Before becoming a film sensation, Parveen Babi began her career as a model and quickly became one of the most recognisable faces in Indian advertising. Her screen debut came with the 1973 film Charitra, but it was her later commercial successes that turned her into a household name.

She went on to star in several blockbuster films including:

• Deewaar
• Amar Akbar Anthony
• Suhaag
• The Burning Train
• Kaala Patthar

Did you know?

Parveen Babi was among the first Bollywood actresses to popularise a Westernised, ultra-glamorous screen image, helping redefine the Hindi film heroine in the late 1970s.

A Personal Life That Often Overshadowed Her Stardom

While her professional life soared, her personal life remained under constant public scrutiny. Her relationships repeatedly became tabloid fodder, often overshadowing her achievements as an actor. Parveen was first engaged to her distant cousin Jamil Khan, a pilot with Pakistan International Airlines. However, the engagement reportedly ended during the 1971 Indo-Pak war period.

She later dated actor Danny Denzongpa between 1972 and 1975 before entering a high-profile relationship with Kabir Bedi in 1975. At the time, Bedi was married to Promita Bedi. Their relationship lasted roughly two years.

Relationship With Mahesh Bhatt And Her Health Struggles

After parting ways with Kabir Bedi, Parveen began dating filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt in 1978. This phase of her life coincided with severe mental health struggles. According to multiple public accounts over the years, Parveen battled paranoid schizophrenia, a condition that increasingly affected both her personal and professional life. Her illness became one of Bollywood's most discussed and misunderstood stories at the time, particularly given the stigma around mental health in that era.

What Kabir Bedi Revealed About Her Death

In his memoir Stories I Must Tell: The Emotional Life of an Actor, Kabir Bedi reflected on Parveen Babi's final days and the tragic circumstances in which she died.

He wrote:

"Her body was found in her Juhu flat four days after she died, a leg rotted by gangrene, a wheelchair by her bed. A lonely and tragic end of a star who had once been the fantasy of millions."

The statement remains one of the most heartbreaking recollections ever shared about the actress' death.

Parveen Babi's Tragic End

Parveen Babi was found dead at her Mumbai residence on January 22, 2005. She was 50 years old. Reports at the time stated that neighbours became suspicious after seeing newspapers and milk packets piling up outside her apartment, prompting authorities to investigate.

• She was believed to have died alone in her Juhu flat
• Initial police estimates suggested she had passed away at least 48 hours before being discovered

Her death marked the tragic conclusion of one of Bollywood's most extraordinary yet painful life stories.

A Star Gone Too Soon

Even decades after her passing, Parveen Babi remains one of Hindi cinema's most fascinating figures-a woman who had fame, beauty and superstardom, yet struggled profoundly behind closed doors. Her life continues to be remembered not only for the glamour she brought to the screen, but also as a sobering reminder of the hidden battles many public figures fight away from the spotlight.

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