When Kabir Bedi told wife Protima about affair with Parveen Babi: “She clung to me and burst out crying”

Recently, actor Kabir Bedi unveiled the book cover of his upcoming autobiography—‘Stories I Must Tell: The Emotional Life of an Actor’. He will be sharing the highs and lows of his professional and personal life, his relationships, including marriage and divorce & more in his memoir.

In his book, Kabir has spoken about his open marriage with Odissi dancer Protima Gupta and how he told him wife about his affair with actress Parveen Babi.

"Our open marriage may have seemed like a good idea at first. In the end, it only caused me greater anxiety. 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. Parveen Babi filled that void. She was a ravishingly beautiful actress with fair skin, long black hair and dark, mesmerising eyes. Until then, I'd always thought of her as 'the girlfriend of Danny Denzongpa'”, read an excerpt from his book.

The actor shares how he fell in love with Parveen Babi as he writes, “Parveen began her rapid rise to stardom during their four years together. Her living openly with Danny, wearing jeans and smoking in public, had given her a bohemian image in India. But, morally, she was a conservative Gujarati girl. While the rest of the Juhu gang talked about the 'free sex' preaching of Guru Osho, she believed in sexual fidelity. It's what I was looking for when I fell in love with her.”

Kabir narrates the moment how he ended his open marriage with Protima and told her about his affair with Parveen Babi. 

"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. 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”, Bedi wrote.

Kabir Bedi ended his marriage with Protima in 1977 and they have a daughter, actress Pooja Bedi together. 

His memoir is scheduled to be published on 19 April 2021.