Kabir Bedi

Born: 16 January, 1946 in Punjab

Biography: Kabir Bedi is an internationally acclaimed Indian actor well known to Indian, American, Italian and certain European audiences. He has done numerous films, stage shows and TV serials both in Hindi and English.

Bedi was born in a Punjabi household to mother Freda Bedi and father Baba Pyarelal Bedi. His father was an author and philosopher. Bedi came from a family involved in the independence struggle. He came from an open minded family that allowed freedom of faith according to one’s own choice.

Bedi has acted in some 60 Indian films. He is most known for his performances in the epic film Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story, where he played the role of Emperor Shah Jehan; Raj Khosla’s Kacche Dhaage, Rakesh Roshan’s Khoon Bhari Maang, Feroz Khan’s Yalgaar, the very recent Farah Khan’s Main Hoon Na and many other films. His next-in-line films include Kites alongside Hrithik Roshan, Showman with Govinda, and Deepa Mehta’s Kamagata Maru with Amitabh Bachchan and John Abraham.

As far as international films are concerned, Kabir Bedi became most popular with the James Bond film called Octopussy, where he plays a negative role of Gobinda. He also acted in a film called The Beast, based on the Russian war in Afghanistan. Then the romantic Asian pirate TV series of Sandokan increased his popularity manifold.

Bedi has also starred in the 2nd most watched television show in the world: The Bold and the Beautiful. He has also acted in several American TV serials such as Dynasty, Highlander: The Series, Hunter, Knight Rider, Murder She Wrote, et al. As a stage actor, he has starred in Shakespeare’s Othello and The Far Pavilions in London and the West End.

Today, Bedi is a voting member of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who present the Oscar Awards.