New Delhi:
Kabir Bedi, who has always lived life on his own terms, opened up about his open marriage to Odissi dancer Protima Bedi in a recent interview with Digital Commentary. Kabir and Pratima (died in 1998), were parents to a daughter Pooja and a son Siddharth. During the conversation, Kabir Bedi revealed that he and Pratima wanted to stay together for the sake of their children. At the same time, they chose open marriage as they wanted to have affairs in their respective lives. On being asked about the dynamic he shared with his first wife Protima, Kabir said, “When you think about the past, you tend to have some regrets, everyone feels that and you think about what you could have done differently.”
Kabir and Protima Bedi didn’t want to conform to the societal norms. Reflecting upon the choices they made, Kabir said, “At that time, we felt that if we want to be together, it is for the kids. And if our inclination is such that she wants to have an affair and I want to also have an affair, the best thing we can do is have an open marriage. You do whatever you want, and I will do what I want. We will stay together and parent our kids together. But ultimately, that didn’t work out. And it was a difficult thing to work.”
Kabir shared he was always there for his children even after their separation, even though he was working in the US back then. “Even though we separated, we divorced, I fulfilled all my responsibilities. I gave my house to her, and supported her too. We stayed friends all our lives because we had two kids, and we wanted the kids to know that even if the parents can’t stay together but they are still our parents,” reminisced the actor.
In addition to his work in films like Kurbaan, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, and Dilwale, Kabir Bedi has also appeared in many international projects, including The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire, La tigre è ancora viva: Sandokan alla riscossa! and The Thief of Baghdad.
