Entertainment | Film & Cinema
'Never change song and dance format'
Kabir Bedi says Bollywood movies appeal to an universal audience.
- By Jyoti Kalsi, Gulf News Report
- Published: 23:31 December 12, 2007
- Pooja Bedi, Kabir Bedi, Parveen Dusanj and Pooja Batra during the premiere of Taj Mahal - the director's cut.
- Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News
Kabir Bedi says Bollywood movies appeal to an universal audience.
He has been spotted at several red carpet events at DIFF. The good looking Kabir Bedi is here for the world premiere of his film Taj Mahal – The Director's Cut. The Indian actor with a global career was excited to talk about his film and his future projects.
What is your secret for looking young?
Two fried eggs every morning plus a non-stop life.
So you are still the most eligible bachelor in India?
I am single but I do have a wonderful woman, Parveen Dusanj, in my life and I wouldn't want to encourage the thought that I am available.
Why is Taj Mahal being released again and what is the director's cut?
Due to a dispute with the producer, the film was withdrawn from theatres soon after its original release in 2004. Hence it will be released again in India early next year. The director's cut is a shortened version without songs created for an international audience. We made it tight and dramatic because we want it to be seen by a wider audience as a serious epic historical drama from India.
What appealed to you about this role?
I play the ageing emperor Shah Jehan who has been overthrown and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. It is a time of pain and nostalgia for the emperor but also of joy as he recounts the story of the building of the Taj Mahal. It was a wonderful role for any actor to portray and I believe it is one of my finer performances.
Your career spans three decades and three continents. What are the memorable moments? Do you have any regrets about leaving Bollywood when you did?
I do not like to dwell on regrets. I have had a wonderful and rich life. If I had been super successful in Bollywood, maybe I would have missed out on this international career. It was not easy to have a career that kept in touch with three industries in the world simultaneously but I have the satisfaction of having seen the world many times over at many a producer's expense.
As Bollywood's earliest crossover star, how do you see today's Indian movies and actors in the global context?
The world is getting smaller and more open to co-production. However, it would be a mistake to think that Hollywood will be writing major roles for Indian actors, in the same way we will not be writing roles for American actors. As Asians our strength lies in our roots and we have to make films that spring from our strengths but that appeal to a universal audience. We must never change our song and dance format, but within the industry there can be filmmakers who choose to make films for a global audience. We hope to do that with Taj Mahal.
What are the projects you are currently working on? Are you doing Deepa Mehta's next film?
We are talking but it's not confirmed yet. Over the last two years I have been working on a TV serial in Italy called The Doctor and the Family. It deals with immigrant issues in a humorous, entertaining way. I am also doing an Italian radio show called Chat, which is about an internet romance between a Western woman and Eastern man. In Mumbai, I will soon start filming for a TV programme called Director's Cut where I will interview the best Indian film directors. But my pet project is to make movies through my own production house, called Mango Movies.
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