PARVEEN BABI was born on April 4th.1949 to VALI MOHD. BABI in Junagadh and sadly she passed away on 20th.Jan.2005 at her pad in Kalumal Estate in Juhu at Mumbai.Tragically her death was discovered only 36 Ghante(ironically one of her big hits)later as she was a recluse and had given her staff an extended weekend off.

Within the life span of 55+ years not only had she packed in an overflow of life bulging at the seams but had gone through a virtual roller-coaster that swung her to tragic extremes which eventually made her crumble emotionally and eventually left her an emotional wreck.

But believe me PARVEEN BABI was never like this from the start.It was Bollywood that demanded it's pound of flesh and sadly she paid with it in kind by batering her emotional stablity that left her dangerously on the brink time and again till she eventually moved on beyond life.

Anyone who has known PARVEEN BABI at any stage of her life or career would only have had nice things to say about her(All said and done even PROTIMA BEDI who was wild at her for having stolen her husband KABIR BEDI eventually started to pity her rather than hate her as is evident from her diaries that were published by daughter POOJA BEDI as her official biography called 'Time Pass'.)Her friends be they DANNY, KABIR BEDI,NEETU SINGH, REKHA, SHABANA AZMI & MAHESH BHATT amy have moved out of her life yet they were always concerned for her health and safety and would worry themselves as to which direction she was taking her life and where would it eventually reach?

Professionally MAHESH BHATT may have virtually proved to be a slime-ball who did not hesitate to kiss and tell all by cashing in on his affair with PARVEEN BABI in semi-autobiographical films like the iconic ARTH and later Woh Lamhe' where he washed her dirty linen in public. Yet to give the devil it's due he was always there for PARVEEN BABI in her darkest hour and her lowest moments as not only did he lend her a shouder but virtually globe trotted to be besides her when she needed him the most. He was not only her support system but at times even put his own life on hold to be there to hold her hand and calm her when she was weathering an emotional avalanche.All this when PARVEEN BABI had moved on with her life and other men were her focus of attention yet she always knew MAHESH was truly just a phone call away.

PARVEEN BABI had her initial schooling in Aurangabad before she moved to Ahmedabad and was doing her Masters in English Literature from St. Xaviers over there when she caught the attention of BABU RAM ISHARA(popularly known as B.R.ISHARAin the film industry)and he scooped her out of Ahmedabad and landed her in Bombay where she was launched opposite former Indian cricketer SALIM DURRANI in Charitra. Even though the film bombed miserably PARVEEN BABI was very much here too stay.After all she was too stunning to be a one film blunder.

Soon after she moved into Juhu and became a part of the infamous 'Juhu Gang' and caught the attention of SANJAY KHAN who signed her on for his CHANDI SONA her first big banner film and things were never the same for her.She was signed by DEV ANAND for BULLET and even though she was paired opposite Dev & RAKESH ROSHAN she was more than attracted by the handsome and debonair villian KABIR BEDI who was soon to take over from where another screen villian DANNY had signed out of her life.

If DANNY was the calming factor and became an emotional anchor in her life then the KABIR BEDI chapter was to prove a wild and free fall roller coaster ride which virtually made her crumble and left her an emotional mess. Time and again PARVEEN BABI was a whisker away from the top three heroines HEMA MALINI, REKHA & ZEENAT AMAN and gave them nasty shocks with her career graph but when it came to dig in her heels and go for the kill she would throw it all up and crumble badly.

What is both sad and ironical is the tragic fact that evertime her career was at it's peak her personal life was deep in the dumps and this cycle of fate hounded her for a better part of her life before she collapsed and simply vanished from the face of earth for several long years before being rediscovered and brought back to Mumbai and nursed back by Mahesh Bhatt and what was left of her friends. Eversince she never faced the camera again profesionally and bid her time in writing  and even went into interior designing for a brief spell.

PARVEEN BABI's career graph could easily be the envy of an actress in Bollywood if only it came minus the personal trauma.Starting in 1975 with Deewar she went on to do 8 block busters with AMITABH BACHCHAN and always she was standing shoulder to shoulder with the superstar in all time hits like Suhaag, Amar Akbar Anthony, Khuddar, Kala Pathar,Kaalia, Majboor,Do Aur Do Paanch & Shaan.

PARVEEN BABI had the rare distinction of being the first Indian actress to be featured on the cover of the prestigious Time magazine as the 'Changing Face of Indian Cinema in early 1977. Indeed a rare honour even though her critics taunted her as being the 'Poor Man's ZEENAT AMAN'.

Apart from the all time hits she did with AMITABH BACHCHAN some of her other popular films included 36 Ghante, Darinda, Ashanti & Mahaan(with Zeenat Aman)Trimurti, Kala Sona, Kranti, Bullet, Bhanwar, Mama Bhanja,Rangeela Ratan, Chalta Purza, Chor Sipahi, The Burning Train, Meri Awaaz Suno.Ameer Aadmi Gareeb Admi,Yeh Nazdikiyan, Desh Premi & Razia Sultan.The list continues almost endlessly till she bowed out of Bollywood soon after Akarshan never to be seen on the screen again.

Alas her death like her life was sad lonely and painful with few moments of joy and happiness far and in-between. Not everyone knew that PARVEEN BABI suffered from an advance stage of diabetes that made her bed ridden as gangrene had spread into her leg making it virtually impossible to move a few steps without support.

What makes the blood boil in impotent rage and black fury is that right through her life that she led of lonliness and isolation, she depended on friends alone.But no sooner was her tragic death announced that unheard leave alone ever before seen relatives started to crawl out of nowhere like termite to stake their claims to her fortune knwing that being unmarried and having no legal heir they could make a killing out of her death.Truly Sad Indeed!!!

BY THE LIP SHANDIL

CHHAYANKAN FEATURES