Latest news with #Sandokan
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- General
- Borneo Post
German scholar uncovers Sabah links to legendary 'Sandokan'
Dr Gerlich (centre) with Jerry Teo (left) in Labuan. LABUAN (Aug 14): Dr Bianca M. Gerlich, a German researcher specializing in Austronesian cultures and the history of Borneo, is working on a biography of Sharif Osman of Marudu. To this end, she has made multiple trips to Labuan and Sabah, interviewing locals with historical knowledge and consulting archival materials. Her latest visit, lasting two and a half weeks, was devoted mainly to historical research. A former lecturer at the Sabah Society, Dr Gerlich discovered that 'Sandokan' — long thought to be a purely fictional hero created by Italian writer Emilio Salgari — may have been a real 19th-century figure. In Sabah, oral accounts and some historical records mention a man by this name, with variations across different traditions. Her research expanded from Italian literature into Austronesian studies to better understand Sandokan's homeland, culture, language, and history. She has now traveled to Southeast Asia 12 times, interviewing descendants of the historical figure. She found that Sandokan was a friend and comrade-in-arms of Sharif Osman, who fought against the British in 1845 before being defeated. The 'Tiger Flag' — associated with resistance — once flew over Marudu, and Dr Gerlich believes it may also have flown over the island known in Salgari's novels as Mompracem. She suggests this island may correspond to Keraman or Kuraman, near Labuan, which Sharif Osman claimed along with Labuan Island itself. Dr Gerlich theorizes that Sandokan, the Tiger Flag, and Mompracem were all symbols of the struggle for freedom against European invaders and their allies. While indigenous written records are scarce, the question of how Salgari learned about Sandokan remains a mystery. Having completed a doctoral dissertation on Sharif Osman and published academic papers on Sandokan, Mompracem, and Sabah history, Dr Gerlich continues to give academic lectures in both literary and Southeast Asian studies. Labuan–BIMP-EAGA Business Council Joint Tourism Development Cluster head Jerry Teo said that meeting Dr Gerlich reinforced his view that government departments and tourism agencies should tap into Labuan's rich cultural heritage. He sees potential for cultural tourism, international creative industry investment, and even film and television adaptations to promote Labuan's history to the world.
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Bollywood actor who played James Bond villain had an open marriage with first wife, ended in divorce: ‘My wife's relationships with other men bothered me'
Bollywood stars are seldom open up about the messy details of their romantic relationships. Be it the chatter about the affairs, or open relationships, stars often keep mum about everything that could result in a controversy so when actor Kabir Bedi and his first wife, dancer Protima Bedi, decided to try open marriage, it shocked those around them. Even now, when Kabir is 79, and has been married four times, the idea continues to shock people. In a recent interview, the actor, who appeared in many international projects like Octopussy and Sandokan, shared that his marriage with Protima in the early 1970s was not as smooth as he had hoped, and so, they decided to try something new. Kabir and Protima got married in 1969 and had two children but, towards the end, they realised that the only way to save their mariage was to convert it into an open marriage. 'Protima and I got married, had kids… It was a 7-year-long relationship. Towards the end, when we started having problems, the problems of extramarital relationships were such that if we wanted to continue with our marriage, open marriage was the only way to stay together but that experiment also failed. Ultimately, we had to leave,' he shared with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel. When asked if her relationships with other men bothered him, Kabir shared, 'It bothered me. I had hoped that it wouldn't bother me but it did.' Kabir shared that such relationships come with consequences but 'we couldn't handle those consequences.' He further shared, 'It takes some very special kind of people to survive an open marriage and we were not them. We thought we would. We thought this is the age of free love and openness etc. It was 1960s-70s, the era of flower power, hippies, demonstrations of peace, new types of music, social change, social experimentation, we thought that we will fond our salvation. We thought we can't do a normal marriage, let's try an open marriage, but the experiment failed.' Kabir and Protima divorced in 1974. ALSO READ | Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's Ramayana budget revealed: Both parts cost Rs 4,000 crore; more expensive than Jurassic World Rebirth and Superman In an earlier chat with Filmfare, Kabir shared that they tried the traditional form of monogamous marriage for a long time before they experimented with their relationship. 'We did try the traditional model for a long time. But at times, what happens is somebody has an affair, then someone else has an affair, and then the problem of outside relationships comes into the marriage. Egos take over, you become possessive, and what not. And the fact that it does upset you, despite you being an advocate of free love… The fact is, it's very hard for an open marriage to succeed,' he said. It was towards the end of his marriage that Kabir got involved with actor Parveen Babi, but that relationship ended shortly afterwards. He then married Susan Humphreys in 1980, and they were married for almost a decade. He later married Nikki Bedi in 1992, and separated in 2005. He has been married to Parveen Dusanj since 2016, although they have been together for 19 years.
Economic Times
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
‘I wanted her to get treatment for …': Parveen Babi's ex-boyfriend, actor Kabir Bedi, reveals why they broke up, recalls their final meeting before her death
The Rise And Fall Of An Intense Romance A Final Encounter By The Poolside Behind the Breakup Love and Loss in the Public Eye The romantic connection between Kabir Bedi and Parveen Babi remains a significant and poignant chapter in the annals of Bollywood. Their intense bond began when Kabir's personal life was in transition. He was in an open marriage with his first wife, Protima Bedi, with both partners freely exploring relationships beyond their union. Protima was reportedly seeing a French national, while Kabir developed a close companionship with Parveen Babi, one of the most glamorous and enigmatic actresses of the relationship began as a source of solace and comfort for Kabir. According to Bedi's own recollections in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, the couple shared deep emotional intimacy. However, their love story eventually turned painful. As time passed, signs of Parveen's psychological distress became harder to ignore. Kabir, deeply concerned for her well-being, tried to encourage her to seek professional medical attention. Unfortunately, Parveen's hesitation to address her mental health issues created an emotional rift between them, and their relationship gradually crumbled under the weight of these after they parted ways, Kabir had one last interaction with Parveen, a year before her untimely passing in 2005. He recalled seeing her sitting alone by the pool at a hotel in India. The media had been relentlessly targeting her due to her public accusations against Amitabh Bachchan, painting her as mentally unstable. When Kabir approached her, she greeted him but quickly revealed her internal turmoil by saying that people believed she was attempted to reassure her, explaining that perceptions vary and that societal judgment shouldn't define her self-worth. However, her demeanor shifted abruptly. She accused him of sharing the same views as others and asked him to leave.'Suddenly her expression changed. She said, 'You are also one of them; you also think I am mad. I don't want to do anything with you.'' he though devastated by the interaction, quietly respected her wishes and walked his conversation with Kannan, Kabir explained why their relationship came to an end. He stressed that he had persistently urged Parveen to seek help for her mental health. 'I was insisting she get treatment for her mental illness," he described her as intelligent, sensitive, and caring but added that she struggled with delusions and auditory hallucinations. Though he consulted many psychiatrists to find a way forward, Parveen refused therapy, fearing the stigma it would bring and its potential impact on her film a past interview with Digital Commentary, Kabir recounted how Parveen accompanied him to Italy during the peak of his international stardom, particularly while working on the series Sandokan. Yet it was in London that he noticed a clear decline in her mental state. He tried once again to convince her to accept treatment, but her refusal and fear of losing her career pushed them common myths, Kabir clarified that Parveen ended the relationship—not him. She feared he would coerce her into treatment. He emphasized that her paranoia made her suspicious of everyone, including him, and she ultimately walked away to preserve the fragile control she still Babi died alone in 2005, leaving behind a haunting legacy and a love story that remains unfinished in the hearts of many.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘I wanted her to get treatment for …': Parveen Babi's ex-boyfriend, actor Kabir Bedi, reveals why they broke up, recalls their final meeting before her death
The romantic connection between Kabir Bedi and Parveen Babi remains a significant and poignant chapter in the annals of Bollywood. Their intense bond began when Kabir's personal life was in transition. He was in an open marriage with his first wife, Protima Bedi, with both partners freely exploring relationships beyond their union. Protima was reportedly seeing a French national, while Kabir developed a close companionship with Parveen Babi, one of the most glamorous and enigmatic actresses of the time. The Rise And Fall Of An Intense Romance Their relationship began as a source of solace and comfort for Kabir. According to Bedi's own recollections in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, the couple shared deep emotional intimacy. However, their love story eventually turned painful. As time passed, signs of Parveen's psychological distress became harder to ignore. Kabir, deeply concerned for her well-being, tried to encourage her to seek professional medical attention. Unfortunately, Parveen's hesitation to address her mental health issues created an emotional rift between them, and their relationship gradually crumbled under the weight of these struggles. A Final Encounter By The Poolside Years after they parted ways, Kabir had one last interaction with Parveen, a year before her untimely passing in 2005. He recalled seeing her sitting alone by the pool at a hotel in India. The media had been relentlessly targeting her due to her public accusations against Amitabh Bachchan, painting her as mentally unstable. When Kabir approached her, she greeted him but quickly revealed her internal turmoil by saying that people believed she was insane. Kabir attempted to reassure her, explaining that perceptions vary and that societal judgment shouldn't define her self-worth. However, her demeanor shifted abruptly. She accused him of sharing the same views as others and asked him to leave. 'Suddenly her expression changed. She said, 'You are also one of them; you also think I am mad. I don't want to do anything with you.'' he recalled. Kabir, though devastated by the interaction, quietly respected her wishes and walked away. Behind the Breakup In his conversation with Kannan, Kabir explained why their relationship came to an end. He stressed that he had persistently urged Parveen to seek help for her mental health. 'I was insisting she get treatment for her mental illness," he admitted. He described her as intelligent, sensitive, and caring but added that she struggled with delusions and auditory hallucinations. Though he consulted many psychiatrists to find a way forward, Parveen refused therapy, fearing the stigma it would bring and its potential impact on her film career. Love and Loss in the Public Eye During a past interview with Digital Commentary , Kabir recounted how Parveen accompanied him to Italy during the peak of his international stardom, particularly while working on the series Sandokan. Yet it was in London that he noticed a clear decline in her mental state. He tried once again to convince her to accept treatment, but her refusal and fear of losing her career pushed them apart. Dispelling common myths, Kabir clarified that Parveen ended the relationship—not him. She feared he would coerce her into treatment. He emphasized that her paranoia made her suspicious of everyone, including him, and she ultimately walked away to preserve the fragile control she still had. Parveen Babi died alone in 2005, leaving behind a haunting legacy and a love story that remains unfinished in the hearts of many.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kabir Bedi reveals a few misunderstandings created a rift between him and daughter Pooja for 3 years: 'We were separated because of disagreements'
Actor Kabir Bedi recently opened up about a difficult chapter in his life — his estrangement from daughter Pooja Bedi , which lasted nearly two to three years. While the father-daughter duo never disclosed the exact cause of the rift, speculation had long pointed to a property dispute as the source of tension. The actor has now revealed how a misunderstanding caused trouble in their bond. Kabir Bedi breaks silence about his rift with daughter Pooja Bedi In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Kabir Bedi chose not to delve into the specifics of their past disagreements but acknowledged that both he and Pooja were hurt by each other's actions. 'There are problems in every relationship sometimes. I don't want to repeat the reasons again. However, there were a few misunderstandings — she did things that upset me; I must have done things that upset her. The important thing is that for 2–3 years, we were separated because of disagreements. Now that has ended,' he shared. Kabir Bedi on his love for Jaipur Kabir said that the rough patch is behind them and their relationship is back on track. 'Our relationship is going strong now. It's a good relationship between father and daughter, and I am very proud of all the things she is doing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo There's a lot of love and respect between us,' he added. Kabir Bedi's marriage with Parveen The actor also spoke about his marriage to Parveen Dusanj in 2016. He described it as a 'good' relationship and admitted that they share mutual respect for each other. He also mentioned that Parveen is a producer, who produced Bad Boy Billionaire. Kabir acknowledged the growth in both Pooja's and Parveen's careers. Kabir was asked whether Parveen had been a factor in the strain between him and Pooja. He kept his answer simple, choosing not to revisit the details, but admitted that it was one of the many reasons for the rift. Some of the misunderstandings between the father-daughter duo had nothing to do with Parveen. 'The happy thing is that all this is resolved. I love Pooja. I love Parveen. They enjoy being in the same city and meeting on occasions. All is well.' On the work front, Kabir Bedi is set to appear next in the reboot of the Italian TV series Sandokan.
