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Parveen Babi (4 April 1954 – 20 January 2005) was an Indian actress and model. Recognized for her roles in
Hindi films Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Babi was known for her "glamorous" acting style, and was one of the highest-paid actresses. Her modeling and fashion sense additionally established her as an icon. Babi made her acting debut with the film ''Charitra'' (1973), and received recognition for her role as Neela in the
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
film ''Majboor'' (1974). She had her breakthrough starring as Anita in the action
crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in C ...
-
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
film '' Deewaar'' (1975), and went on to have roles in many successful films, notably starring as Jenny in '' Amar Akbar Anthony'' (1977), Anu in '' Suhaag'' (1979), Anita in ''
Kaala Patthar ''Kaala Patthar'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language action drama film produced and directed by Yash Chopra, with a screenplay written by Salim–Javed. The film was based on the Chasnala mining disaster, and is the fourth collaboration betwe ...
'' (1979), Sheetal in ''
The Burning Train ''The Burning Train'' is a 1980 Indian action thriller disaster film, produced by B. R. Chopra under the B. R. Films banner and directed by Ravi Chopra. The film featured a huge all-star cast, featuring Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Vinod Khanna, ...
'' (1980), Sunita in ''Shaan'' (1980), Shallini / Rani in ''
Kaalia ''Kaalia'' is a 1981 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film, written and directed by Tinnu Anand, and produced by Iqbal Singh. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan (in the title role), Parveen Babi, Asha Parekh, Kader Khan, Pran, Amjad Khan, ...
'' (1981), and Nisha in '' Namak Halaal'' (1982). In 1976, she was the first Bollywood star to appear on the cover of ''Time'' magazine. From the mid-1980s, Babi's career began to fluctuate, leading her to eventually retire from the film industry in 1991. Babi's personal life has been well-documented by the media; she had remained unmarried after a string of relationships with
Kabir Bedi Kabir Bedi ( pa, ਕਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਬੇਦੀ; born 16 January 1946) is an Indian actor. His career has spanned three continents covering India, the United States and especially Italy among other European countries in three media: fi ...
,
Danny Denzongpa Tshering Phintso "Danny" Denzongpa (born 25 February 1948) is an Indian actor, singer and film director who primarily works in Hindi films. He has acted in over 190 films since 1971. In 2003, Denzongpa was awarded the Padma Shree, India's four ...
and
Mahesh Bhatt Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is '' Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
. She was diagnosed with
paranoid schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social w ...
, which came to the attention of the public following various incidents, as well as diabetes. She also had osteoarthritis of the knee. On 20 January 2005, Babi died of multiple organ failure.


Early life

Parveen Babi was born on 4 April 1954 in
Junagadh Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state. Literally ...
, Saurashtra (now in
Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
). She was the only child in a noble Junagadh-based family who belonged to the
Khilji The Khalji or Khilji (Pashto: ; Persian: ) dynasty was a Turco- Afghan dynasty which ruled the Delhi sultanate, covering large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly three decades between 1290 and 1320.Babi tribe of
Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically r ...
known as the
Pathans of Gujarat Gujarati Pashtuns/Pathans are a group of Afghans that have immigrated from Afghanistan as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in present-day north Pakistan, whom are settled in the region of Gujarat in western India. They now form a distinct community of ...
that had long settled in Gujarat. Parveen was born fourteen years after the marriage of her parents, her father, Vali Mohammed Khan Babi, was an administrator with the Nawab of Junagadh and her mother was Jamal Bakhte Babi (died 2001). She lost her father in 1959 when she was five years old. She did her early schooling from
Mount Carmel High School, Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per ...
and later attended St. Xavier's College,
Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per ...
where she earned a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
in
English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
.


Career


1972—1975: Modelling, transition to Bollywood and Breakthrough

Parveen Babi's modelling career began in 1972 and was quickly followed by her film debut with the film ''Charitra'' (1973), opposite cricketer
Salim Durrani Salim Aziz Durani (born 11 December 1934) is a former Indian cricketer who played in 29 Test matches from 1960 to 1973. An all-rounder, Durani was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and a left-handed batsman famous for his six-hitting prowess. H ...
. The film was a flop, but she was noticed and snapped up for several more films. Babi first received recognition for her role as Neela in the
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
film ''Majboor'' (1974). She had her breakthrough starring as a
prostitute Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...
, Anita, in the action
crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in C ...
-
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
film '' Deewaar'' (1975), which attained a
cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
, and helped established her as a leading lady.


1975—1982: Established actress

She went on to appear in many successful films throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably starring as Jenny in '' Amar Akbar Anthony'' (1977), Anu in '' Suhaag'' (1979), Anita in ''
Kaala Patthar ''Kaala Patthar'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language action drama film produced and directed by Yash Chopra, with a screenplay written by Salim–Javed. The film was based on the Chasnala mining disaster, and is the fourth collaboration betwe ...
'' (1979), Sheetal in ''
The Burning Train ''The Burning Train'' is a 1980 Indian action thriller disaster film, produced by B. R. Chopra under the B. R. Films banner and directed by Ravi Chopra. The film featured a huge all-star cast, featuring Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Vinod Khanna, ...
'' (1980), Sunita in ''Shaan'' (1980), Shallini / Rani in ''
Kaalia ''Kaalia'' is a 1981 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film, written and directed by Tinnu Anand, and produced by Iqbal Singh. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan (in the title role), Parveen Babi, Asha Parekh, Kader Khan, Pran, Amjad Khan, ...
'' (1981), and Nisha in '' Namak Halaal'' (1982). Parveen was one of the most successful actresses of her era, along with
Hema Malini Hema Malini (born 16 October 1948) is an Indian actress, director, producer, and politician. She is primarily known for her work in Hindi films. Known for starring in both comic and dramatic roles, she is one of the most popular and successfu ...
,
Rekha Bhanurekha Ganesan (born 10 October 1954), better known by her stage name Rekha, is an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Hindi films. Acknowledged as one of the finest actresses in Indian cinema, she has starred in more than 180 fi ...
,
Shabana Azmi Shabana Azmi (born 18 September 1950) is an Indian actress of Hindi film, television and theatre. One of India's most acclaimed actresses, Azmi is known for her portrayals of distinctive, often unconventional female characters across several ge ...
,
Smita Patil Smita Patil (17 October 1955 – 13 December 1986) was an Indian actress who worked in films, television series and theatres. She appeared in over 80 Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam and Kannada films in a career that spanned just ...
,
Zeenat Aman Zeenat Khan (born 19 November 1951), better known as Zeenat Aman, is an Indian actress and former fashion model. She first received recognition for her modelling work, and at the age of 19, went on to participate in beauty pageants, winning both ...
and
Raakhee Raakhee Gulzar (born Rakhee Majumdar on 15 August 1947 and known as Raakhee) is an Indian actress who has appeared in many Hindi films and Bengali films as well. In four decades of acting, she has won three Filmfare Awards and one National Fil ...
. She starred opposite
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
in eight films, all hits or super-hits. She also starred in other hit films such as '' Suhaag'' (1979), ''
Kaala Patthar ''Kaala Patthar'' () is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language action drama film produced and directed by Yash Chopra, with a screenplay written by Salim–Javed. The film was based on the Chasnala mining disaster, and is the fourth collaboration betwe ...
'' (1979), and '' Namak Halaal'' (1982) opposite
Shashi Kapoor Shashi Kapoor (pronounced əʃi kəpuːɾ (born Balbir Raj Kapoor; 18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017) was an Indian actor and film producer who is best known for his work in Hindi films. A recipient of several accolades, including four Nation ...
, '' Kala Sona'' (1975) opposite
Feroz Khan Feroz Khan or Feroze Khan may refer to: * Feroz Khan (actor) (1939–2009), Indian actor and film director * Feroz Khan Noon (1893–1970), Pakistani politician and 8th Prime Minister of Pakistan * Feroze Khan (born 1990), Pakistani VJ, televisio ...
, ''
Chandi Sona ''Chandi Sona'' is a 1977 Indian Hindi-language film. Produced and directed by Sanjay Khan the film stars Sanjay Khan, Parveen Babi, Premnath, Pran, Ranjeet, Danny Denzongpa, Asrani, Paintal, Kamini Kaushal, Iftekhar and Raj Kapoor (in ...
'' (1977) opposite
Sanjay Khan Sanjay Khan (born Shah Abbas Ali Khan Tanoli, 3 January 1941) is an Indian actor, producer, and director known for his works in Hindi films and television. Sanjay Khan made his debut in Chetan Anand's 1964 film '' Haqeeqat'', followed by the R ...
and ''
Jaani Dost ''Jaani Dost '' () is a 1983 Indian Hindi-language action film, produced by C. Ashwini Dutt, M. Arjuna Raju under the Roja Art Productions banner and directed by K. Raghavendra Rao. It stars Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Parveen Babi, Sridevi, with ...
'' (1983) opposite
Dharmendra Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 30 ...
. Later in her career, she had also appeared in off-beat films such as Vinod Pande's '' Yeh Nazdeekiyan'' (1982), playing the "other woman" opposite Marc Zuber, and ''Dil... Akhir Dil Hai'' (1982), opposite
Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is an Indian actor. He is notable in Indian parallel cinema. He has also starred in international productions. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfare ...
. Her career peaked at the time when most heroines were engulfed in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
n attributes and Babi was one among the few actresses whose attire was completely westernised and this provided her a certain latitude many other contemporary female artists were denied in India's heavily male-dominated and misogynistic cinematic fiefdom. Parveen Babi along with
Zeenat Aman Zeenat Khan (born 19 November 1951), better known as Zeenat Aman, is an Indian actress and former fashion model. She first received recognition for her modelling work, and at the age of 19, went on to participate in beauty pageants, winning both ...
with their chiselled looks, well-sculpted bodies and anglicised accents, donned the mantle of the westernized
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
heroine and imparted to the female prima donna of
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" ...
their characteristic mannerisms forever. In fact, she acted alongside Aman in '' Mahaan'' (1983) and '' Ashanti'' (1982) (inspired by the American television show ''
Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by ...
'', with the third role played by
Shabana Azmi Shabana Azmi (born 18 September 1950) is an Indian actress of Hindi film, television and theatre. One of India's most acclaimed actresses, Azmi is known for her portrayals of distinctive, often unconventional female characters across several ge ...
). As Babi's personality symbolized western standards, it was difficult for Bollywood producers to give her the typical ''bharatiya nari'' and ''gaon ki gori'' roles. She mainly starred in westernized and glamorous roles that established her status as a top heroine. She appeared in several commercially successful films of the era and her main co-stars were
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
,
Shashi Kapoor Shashi Kapoor (pronounced əʃi kəpuːɾ (born Balbir Raj Kapoor; 18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017) was an Indian actor and film producer who is best known for his work in Hindi films. A recipient of several accolades, including four Nation ...
,
Feroz Khan Feroz Khan or Feroze Khan may refer to: * Feroz Khan (actor) (1939–2009), Indian actor and film director * Feroz Khan Noon (1893–1970), Pakistani politician and 8th Prime Minister of Pakistan * Feroze Khan (born 1990), Pakistani VJ, televisio ...
,
Dharmendra Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 30 ...
and
Vinod Khanna Vinod Khanna (6 October 1946 – 27 April 2017) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who is best known for his work in Hindi films; while also being a notable spiritual seeker. In Bollywood, he was the recipient of two Filmfare awa ...
, all leading stars of the 1970s and 1980s. Aside from acting, Babi also worked as a model in her career. She generally would appear on the front page of every film magazine, including ''
Filmfare ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of Indian most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, an ...
'', ''
The Stardust The Stardust Resort and Casino was a casino resort located on along the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. The Stardust was conceived by Tony Cornero, and construction began in 1954. Cornero died in 1955, and the project was taken over by hi ...
'', and '' Bombay Dyeing''. She was also the first Bollywood actress to appear on the front page of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' in July 1976, for which she made history; the cover has since become iconic. She never shied away from portraying roles of women having a live-in relationship with men and consuming alcohol openly, both of which were taboo in those times. The fact that Parveen was paired with
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
in eight films during the peak of the Big B mania attests to her stature and star power. Amitabh and Parveen complemented each other in the heady first years of the '' Angry Young Man'' phenomenon.


1983—2005

Babi later "disappeared" from the film scene in 1983, informing nobody of her whereabouts, which allowed for exaggerated rumours and pompous claims that she might be "under the control" of figures in the "underworld". Many of her completed films were released in the following years, right up to her last film ''
Akarshan ''Akarshan'' is a 1988 Bollywood romantic film directed by Tanvir Ahmed. It stars Akbar Khan and Sonu Walia in lead roles. Cast * Akbar Khan as Abhishek * Sonu Walia as Priya * Sharon Prabhakar * Rohini Hattangadi as Didi * Girish Karnad * Par ...
'' in 1988. She started a career as an interior decorator in 1983. After withdrawing from show business, she took up music, piano, painting, architecture, literature, writing, cultural and archaeological study, politics, photography, sculpture, and human-rights issues. She also made numerous contributions to newspapers and magazines from 1973 to 1992. She lived in a
penthouse apartment A penthouse is an apartment or unit on the highest floor of an apartment building, condominium, hotel or tower. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features. The term 'penthouse' originally referred, an ...
in Mumbai, living affluently from sound financial investments.


Personal life

Babi was in a relationship with
Danny Denzongpa Tshering Phintso "Danny" Denzongpa (born 25 February 1948) is an Indian actor, singer and film director who primarily works in Hindi films. He has acted in over 190 films since 1971. In 2003, Denzongpa was awarded the Padma Shree, India's four ...
for four years. Later she dated
Kabir Bedi Kabir Bedi ( pa, ਕਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਬੇਦੀ; born 16 January 1946) is an Indian actor. His career has spanned three continents covering India, the United States and especially Italy among other European countries in three media: fi ...
, and then
Mahesh Bhatt Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is '' Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
. Babi was said to have lived alone, and converted to Christianity during the late 1990s. On 30 July 1983, Parveen Babi left
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
and travelled to various countries for a spiritual journey with
U. G. Krishnamurti Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti (9 July 1918 – 22 March 2007) was an intellectual who questioned the state of spiritual enlightenment. Having pursued a religious path in his youth and eventually rejecting it, U.G. claimed to have experienced ...
and her friend Valentine and spent some of the time in
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
and
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...
. She returned to
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
in November 1989. She was rumoured to have been diagnosed with
paranoid schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social w ...
, although she regularly denied this, stating that her being labelled as such was a conspiracy by the film industry and the media to malign her image and make her appear insane, so that they could cover up their crimes. This led Parveen to break relationships with most of her friends and family, and becoming reclusive. She accused many foreign dignitaries as well as Indian film personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan,
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...
,
Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award from four nominations, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Cec ...
,
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
,
Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic ...
,
US government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...
,
British government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_est ...
,
French government The Government of France ( French: ''Gouvernement français''), officially the Government of the French Republic (''Gouvernement de la République française'' ), exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister, who ...
, BJP government,
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, the
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
, CBI, KGB and
Mossad Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...
, of conspiring to kill her, but her petition in court was dismissed for lack of evidence; her evidence turned out to be scribblings on a notepad. On 7 April 1984, she was suspected at
John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the Avia ...
after she failed to submit her identification papers and the authorities handcuffed her and kept her in a general ward with thirty other mentally disturbed patients. The Indian Consul General, who had been informed of the incident, had come to visit her at the hospital. During U.G.'s visit, Parveen smiled and chatted with the consul as though nothing had happened. In an interview to a film magazine dated 1989, she said: "
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
is a super international gangster. He is after my life. His goons kidnapped me and I was kept on an island where they performed a surgery on me and planted one transmitter/chip/electronic bug right under my ear." There was a photograph of Babi showing a scar below her ears.. In 2002, she again hit the headlines when she filed an affidavit in a special court hearing of the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, claiming that she had gathered clinching evidence against actor
Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though u ...
showing his involvement in the case, but she did not turn up in court after being summoned, saying that she was afraid of being killed. In the last four years of her life, Babi recorded every phone call, always punctiliously informing the caller about surveillance.


Death

She was found dead on 22 January 2005 after her residential society secretary alerted the police that she had not collected groceries and newspapers from her doorstep for three days. The police suspected that she may have been dead for up to 72 hours before her body was found. The cause of her death was not immediately known. She was found to have a
gangrene Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the gan ...
of the left foot, a complication of her diabetic condition. A wheelchair was found near her bed along with a series of disarranged paintings, clothes, medicines, and old newspapers. It is possible that she was unable to walk in her last days due to a gangrenous foot and required the use of a wheelchair to move around her flat. A post-mortem was conducted at
Cooper Hospital The Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Medical College, also known as HBT Medical College, is a public university, public medical school, medical college located in Juhu, Mumbai, India. It is owned and operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal ...
and reports showed that there were no traces of food in her stomach, but some alcohol (possibly from her medication) was found and it is possible that she had not consumed anything for more than three days and as a consequence starved to death. The police ruled out foul play and determined she succumbed to total organ failure and
diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
. Parveen Babi converted to Christianity during the last years of her life, as she stated in an interview, and was baptised in a
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
Anglican Church Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...
at
Malabar Hill Malabar Hill (ISO: Malabār Hill ələbaːɾ is a hillock and upmarket residential neighbourhood in South Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Malabar Hill is the most exclusive residential area in Mumbai. It is home to several business tycoons and ...
. She expressed a desire to be buried as per Christian rites, but her relatives who were
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
claimed her body after her death and buried her according to
Islamic Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ma ...
rites. Parveen Babi was buried at Juhu Muslim cemetery in
Santacruz, Mumbai Santacruz or Santa Cruz (Pronunciation: aːn̪t̪akɾuːz is a neighbourhood of Mumbai. The Santacruz railway station on the Mumbai Suburban Railway, the domestic terminal (T1) of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, and one ...
. After her death the State Administrator General of Maharashtra became sole custodian of her properties and assets. Following her death, chaos erupted when various distant relatives filed petitions with the high court regarding the will of her property which had been lying in the locker of a
Junagadh Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state. Literally ...
bank, executed jointly by actor and friend Murad Khan Babi. The will stated that 70% of her property was to be put in a trust in her name to help poor members of the Babi family. 20% was pledged to Murad Khan Babi, for being "a guiding force", and 10% was to be given to Christian missionary funds. Five years later, due to a shortage of land space for burials, Parveen Babi's grave along with other luminary
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" ...
celebrities, such as
Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...
,
Madhubala Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer who worked in Hindi-language films. She ranked as one of the highest-paid entertainers in India in the post-independence era ...
, Sahir Ludhianvi, Talat Mahmood, Naushad Ali, who were interred at Santa Cruz Muslim Cemetery, were exhumed and their remains were relocated to a new resting place.


In popular culture

Mahesh Bhatt Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. A stand-out film from his earlier period is '' Saaransh'' (1984), screened at the 14th Moscow International Film F ...
, Babi's former partner, wrote and directed ''Arth'' (1982), a supposedly semi-autobiographical film about his relationship with Babi, and wrote and produced ''
Woh Lamhe ''Woh Lamhe...'' ( en, Those Moments, italic=yes) is a 2006 Indian romantic drama film directed by Mohit Suri, starring Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja in the lead roles. The film is supposedly based on Parveen Babi's life, her battle with s ...
'' (2006) directed by his nephew
Mohit Suri Mohit Suri is an Indian film director. Born into the Bhatt family, he is well known for directing the films '' Murder 2 '' (2011), the musical romance '' Aashiqui 2'' (2013) and the romantic thrillers ''Awarapan'' (2007), ''Ek Villain'' (2014) ...
, based on his recollection and interpretation of his relationship with Babi and without any inputs from her. Designer
Manish Malhotra Manish Malhotra (born December 5 1966) is an Indian fashion designer, couturier, costume stylist, entrepreneur, filmmaker, revivalist based in Mumbai, India. The founder of the eponymous label, Manish Malhotra, he has been deeply entrenched in ...
said: "Parveen Babi brought minimalism into fashion. She was always impeccable, not overdoing it even once."


Filmography

In her acting career which spanned almost ten years, she acted in more than fifty films, of which ten were blockbusters.


See also

*
List of Indian film actresses This is an alphabetical list of notable Indian film actresses. A * Aaditi Pohankar * Aahana Kumra * Aakanksha Singh * Aamna Sharif * Aanchal Munjal * Aarathi * Aarti Agarwal * Aarti Chhabria * Aashka Goradia * Abhirami * Adah Sharma ...
* Balasinor State *
Pathans of Gujarat Gujarati Pashtuns/Pathans are a group of Afghans that have immigrated from Afghanistan as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in present-day north Pakistan, whom are settled in the region of Gujarat in western India. They now form a distinct community of ...


Further reading

*


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Babi, Parveen 1954 births 2005 deaths Actresses from Gujarat Actresses in Hindi cinema Actresses in Gujarati cinema 20th-century Indian actresses Indian film actresses Indian Anglicans Indian former Muslims Indian people of Pashtun descent Converts to Anglicanism from Islam People from Junagadh People with schizophrenia Gujarati people Rajneesh movement