Kabir Bedi says ‘Main tabaah ho gaya tha' after son Siddharth's death by suicide: I lost work, opportunities

Hindustan Times

23-05-2025

Actor Kabir Bedi's career spans Bollywood, Hollywood, and European cinema. In a recent interview with BBC News Hindi, Kabir opened up about a time when he was financially and emotionally devastated following the death of his son by suicide. He recalled how he found the strength to rebuild his career. (Also Read: Rekha reunites with Kabir Bedi at Filmfare night, nostalgic fans recall Khoon Bhari Maang)
Kabir spoke about the phase in his life when he was "ruined" both financially and emotionally. He recalled how, during the 1990s, his son Siddharth died by suicide, and he had little money. He said, 'Main tabaah ho gaya tha (I was ruined), not just financially but emotionally as well, because it came at a point when all my financial investments had turned against me. And when I leveraged, it all got wiped out. At that time, my son also died, so it was such a difficult period in the late 1990s that I didn't know what I was doing. I would go for auditions and couldn't understand what I was saying. I lost work, opportunities, and the situation just kept getting worse.'
That was when Kabir decided to take control of his life. 'I thought, now I have to do something, because if this keeps going, then main barbaad ho jaunga, sadkon pe aa jaunga main (I'll be ruined and end up on the streets).' Kabir said he introspected and chose to return to his strengths. He left Hollywood, moved to England, and slowly rebuilt his life, taking on one project at a time.
For those unversed, Siddharth was Kabir's son with his first wife, Protima. He studied at Carnegie Mellon University in the 1990s and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. He died by suicide in 1997 at the age of just 26.
Kabir gained international acclaim for his portrayal of the swashbuckling pirate in the Italian TV series Sandokan, which captivated audiences across Europe. In Hollywood, he is best known for his role as the formidable Gobinda in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983). He also made a mark on American television with appearances in popular series such as The Bold and the Beautiful, Dynasty, and Knight Rider.
In Indian cinema, Bedi has delivered memorable performances in films like Khoon Bhari Maang, Main Hoon Na, and Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story, in which he portrayed Emperor Shah Jahan. He was last seen in the family drama Aachari Baa, which also featured Neena Gupta and Vatsal Sheth in lead roles. The film is available to watch on JioHotstar.