Parveen Babi

Parveen Babi
Parveen Babi in 1977
Born	4 April 1954(1954-04-04) Junagadh, Gujarat, India
Died	20 January 2005(2005-01-20) (aged 50) Mumbai, India
Occupation	Model, Actress
Years active	1972–1983

Parveen Babi (4 April 1954 – 20 January 2005) was an Indian actress, who is most remembered for her glamorous roles alongside top heroes of the 1970s and early 1980s in blockbusters like Deewar, Namak Halaal, Amar Akbar Anthony and Shaan. She is often cited as one of the most beautiful actresses to have ever appeared in Indian cinema.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life and education

Parveen was born in Junagadh, Gujarat in a Muslim family. She did her early schooling in Aurangabad and later attended St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad. Her father Vali Mohammed Babi, was an administrator with the Nawab of Junagadh.^{[citation needed]} Parveen was born fourteen years after the marriage of her parents and was an only child. She lost her father at the age of seven.

Parveen never married but had relationships with many married men; director Mahesh Bhatt, actors Kabir Bedi, and Danny Denzongpa.^{[citation needed]} She was also strongly rumoured to have had an affair with her co-star of many films, Amitabh Bachchan.^{[citation needed]} Bhatt later wrote and directed Arth (1982), a semi-autobiographical film about his relationship with Babi, and wrote and produced Woh Lamhe (2006) based on facts about his relationship with her.

Career

Parveen's modelling career began in 1972 and was quickly followed by her film debut with the film Charitra (1973) opposite cricketer Salim Durrani. The film was a resounding flop but Parveen was noticed and was snapped up for several more films. Her first major hit was Majboor (1974) opposite Amitabh Bachchan. Along with Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi helped change the image of the Indian film heroine. She was one of the first Indians to be featured on Time magazine's cover, in July 1976, much to the consternation of her contemporaries.

Throughout her career, she was thought of more as a glamourous heroine than a serious actress. She was also known as a fashion icon. Famous designer Manish Malhotra says, "Parveen Babi brought minimalism into fashion. She was always impeccable, not overdoing it even once."^{[citation needed]}

Parveen was considered to be one of the most successful actresses of her era, along with Hema Malini, Rekha, Zeenat Aman, Neetu Singh and Raakhee. She starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan in eight films, all of which were hits or super hits.^{[citation needed]} She also appeared in other hit films such as Suhaag (1979), Kaala Patthar (1979), and Namak Halaal (1982) opposite Shashi Kapoor, Kaala Sona (1975) opposite Feroz Khan, and Jaani Dost (1983) opposite Dharmendra. Towards the end of her career, she appeared in offbeat films like Vinod Pande's Yeh Nazdeekiyan (1982), playing the role of the "other woman" opposite Marc Zuber and Dil... Akhir Dil Hai (1982), opposite Naseeruddin Shah.

Later life

On July 30th, 1983, Parveen Babi left India and the film industry at the height of her career. She returned to Mumbai in November 1989 where she was unrecognizable as her former self after having put on a considerable amount of weight. She accused many foreign dignitaries including Amitabh Bachchan, of conspiring to kill her but her petition in court was dismissed for lack of evidence. She started a career as an interior decorator in 1991.^{[citation needed]} In 2002, she again hit the headlines when she filed an affidavit in the special court hearing the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, claiming that she had gathered clinching evidence against actor Sanjay Dutt 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.

Death

She was found dead in her Mumbai apartment on 22 January 2005 after her residential society secretary alerted the police that she had not collected milk and newspapers from her doorstep for three days. The police suspected that she may have been dead up to 72 hours before her body was found. The cause of her death was not immediately known. She was found to have gangrene of the foot as a complication of her diabetic condition. The police ruled out any foul play and it was determined she had died from what appeared to be complications from diabetes.^{[citation needed]}

Babi was buried next to her mother at Santa Cruz, Mumbai on 23 January 2005.

Filmography

• Charitra (1973)
• Dhuen Ki Lakeer (1974)
• 36 Ghante (1974)
• Trimurti (1974)
• Majboor (1974)
• Kala Sona (1975)
• Deewaar (1975) -- Anita
• Bullet (1976)
• Bhanwar (1976)
• Rangeela Ratan (1976)
• Mazdoor Zindabad (1977)
• Maama Bhanja (1977)
• Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)
• Mastaan Dada (1978)
• Chandi Sona (1977)
• Darinda (1977)
• Chalta Purza (1977)
• Chor Sipahee (1977)
• Aahuti (1978)
• Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978)
• Kaala Patthar (1979)
• Suhaag (1979)
• The Burning Train (1979)
• Shaan (1980)
• Ek Gunaah Aur Sahi (1980)
• Do Aur Do Paanch (1980)
• Gunahgaar (1980)
• Meri Aawaaz Suno (1981)
• Khoon Aur Paani (1981)
• Ameer Aadmi Gareeb Aadmi (1981)
• Kaalia (1981)
• Raksha (1981)
• Kranti (1981)
• Ashanti (1982)
• Mangal Pandey (1982)
• Desh Premee (1982)
• Dil Aakhir Dil Hai (1982)
• Bad Aur Badnaam (1982)
• Taaqat (1982)
• Yeh Nazdeekiyan (1982)
• Namak Halaal (1982)
• Khud-daar (1982)
• Jaani Dost (1983)
• Razia Sultan (1983)
• Chor Police (1983)
• Kanoon Meri Muthi Mein (1983)
• Mahaan (1983)
• Rang Birangi (1983)
• Arpan (1983)
• Teri Baahon Mein (1984)
• Sitamgar (1985)
• Telephone (1985)
• Bond 303 (1986)
• Gehri Chot (1986)
• Avinaash (1987)
• Aakarshan (1988)
• Iraada (1990)

External links

• Parveen Babi’s Confessions [PDF]
• Perfumed memories by Mahesh Bhatt Dawn
• Parveen Babi on UG Krishna murty [PDF]
• A tribute to Parveen Babi NDTV
• Parveen Babi at the Internet Movie Database
• Parveen Babi: A bohemian rhapsody Rediff.com.
• Parveen Babi profile at movies.indiainfo.com
• Parveen Babi pictures
• Parveen Babi Time Magazine cover (1976)
• Parveen Babi Photo Gallery Videos & Biography