Kabir Bedi has been quite honest about his relationship with Parveen Babi. He was having an affair with her when he was married to his Protima Gauri, however, theirs was an open marriage. In a recent interview, Bedi opened up on why him and Parveen broke up. He said during a chat with Digital Commentary that Parveen left him due to the fear that he would force her to get a treatment done or tell the industry about her mental health. He confessed that she left him, he didn’t leave her.
Amidst Kabir’s latest statement, here’s recalling the time when he had spoken about breaking the news of his affair to his wife Protima. In his biography, ‘Stories I Must Tell: The Emotional Journey of an Actor’, Bedi wrote about his marriage and said, “It had led to a lack of intimacy between us. I didn’t feel the love that I wanted, the caring and sharing I needed. Nor was I able to give it. The old magic had gone. I was feeling alone, empty and dejected.”
He further explained how he told Protima about his affair with Parveen. “There was no easy way to break the news to Protima. ‘I’m going over to Parveen’s tonight,’ I said softly when she came in. ‘Parveen’s!’ she repeated in surprise. I could see her computing what must have happened. ‘But I’ve only just arrived. Can’t you stay tonight at least?’ I shook my head. ‘No, I have to be with her tonight … and every night.’ In that moment, she realised that our relationship had changed forever,” he wrote in his book.
Penning down Protima’s reaction, the book said, “She let out a deep breath and looked at me. ‘Do you love her?’ I nodded, not without sadness. ‘Does she love you?’ she asked, her voice a notch higher. ‘Yes,’ I said gruffly, wanting to cry. I knew I was ending a relationship where we’d shared life-changing experiences together, happy and unhappy, moral and immoral, for six tumultuous years. But I didn’t want to show vulnerability. I had to be strong to end it. I held her by the shoulders to embrace her goodbye. She clung to me and burst out crying. Then she sat down on the bed and sighed deeply before she spoke. ‘Please leave me alone now,’ she said in a firm voice as tears welled in her eyes. ‘Leave me alone. Please go!’ Our ‘open marriage’ was over.”
Kabir and Protima had two children – Pooja and Siddharth.
