|
Kabir Bedi, the model turned actor was termed a flop
in Hindi films. He decided to seek fame and fortune on the screen in
Europe and Hollywood. He is now on the comeback trial to masala land.
Her he speaks of his success and failure and his Hollywood
experience.
Remember Kabir Bedi? The
superbly handsome male model who was such a sizzling flop in our
masala films, right from his earliest Hulchal to Bullet. Italy
obviously saw more in him than Bombay did because, with the T.V.
serial Sandokan, (1975) he became an overnight super-star in
the continent. Alas, this fame was short lived because Hollywood
(where he later migrated) treated him in a shockingly humiliating
manner. It was Bedi’s grit, tenacity, confidence and above all
his sense of realism that saw him through the Hollywood madness. In
this interview he talks about the real reason of his Bombay disaster,
his move to the West, his Italian success, his Hollywood experience
and finally his coming home….
On why I flopped in Hindi films
That’s simple. It
has basically to do with who I am, what I look like and project, and
what I look like and project, and what the industry at that point in
time was, and wanted. Let’s face it. I was never cut out to be
the body next door. Nor even the guy who could expertly circle trees,
chasing young females to the accompaniment of cooing sounds. So
producers had a problem casting me in lead roles. Despite this
handicap, I did something like 27 films in these five years I was in
the business. Not a bad strike rate, don’t you think? One must
also remember that every biggie of my time who really made it, id so
after being in the cold for at least seven years-Dharam, Rajesh,
Amit-you name it. I split the scene before and so, in all truth, did
not give myself the necessary time. Also somewhere down the line, I
became increasingly dissatisfied with the kind of films that were
being produced an so lost the motivation to succeed. Which is why I
started looking outwards.
On moving west
I am basically a restless
person given to experiment and adventure. The experiment and
adventure. The extraordinary success of Sandokan provided me
with the perfect springboard to leap to where the action was-Europe.
Not only in Western Europe, but also in Eastern Europe-Yugoslavia,
Hungary, Poland- the T.V.film played to rave reactions and reviews,
and the level of enthusiasm and adulation that greeted me every time
had to be seen to be believed!
On Hollywood
The USA in general and
Hollywood in particular is a different ball-game altogether. Success
in Europe does not count a fig there, and it is not surprising to
find the hottest stars of Europe auditioning for the same role with
the kid who came in the night before from low with a knapsack on his
back! A very unnerving lesson in humility! But then, LA is a very
insulted and self-absorbed city which does not give a damn about its
neighboring city, let alone the nation. The same goes for most other
major cities of America. I had heard about all this and hence, quite
honestly, expected the iceberg treatment. If I wasn’t shattered,
it is because I have never had any overblown illusions about myself.
Even at my peak in Europe, I never once forgot that all things pass
and that one cannot really expect to get one’s own sense of
selfworth from outside. Therefore, success has never made me
anegomaniac, and failures never depressed me, unduly. Sure, I’ve
had my lows and occasionally even allowed myself to wallow in it, to
work it off my system. But it had never been a negative thing. I mean
I would never say Oh, America is not treating me well so let’s
go back. I am a fighter and an optimist and give all I have got to
whatever I am doing. Interestingly, some of my most worthwhile
experiences in the US have been on television. Magnum P.U.
with Tom Select; a serial with Angela Langsbury; Buck James with
Dennis Brand. These are shown with enormous Viewership. Would you
believe that for my role in General Hospital I had more fan-mail than
for all my films put together.
On the Asian in Hollywood
To truly understand my
battle in Hollywood, you merely have to reverse the situation and
think of an American actor trying to make a breakthrough in Hindi
films. It really is as bad as that! They don’t write roles for
Asians. They have no problem in painting white actors black or brown.
And whatever is ultimately written and offered to Asians or even
Europeans conforms to the clichéd stereotype. Further,
Hollywood is a kind of place where it is tough getting an agent. The
only exception is, if you are fortunate enough to be picked up by a
major director and put on the screen. Omar Shrift and Victor Banerjee
must count themselves lucky to have had David Lean.
On coming back to masala-land
Well, Rakesh Roshan is an
old friend of mine and when he called up a few years ago and invited
me to do this role, (Khoon Bhari Mang) I agreed. The timing was great
because I was doing good things abroad. It was not something offered
in sympathy and accepted in desperation. Yes it was a negative role
and I knew it was a heroine-oriented film, but who cares? I am here
to do a job of work and ensure excellence in my performance-that’s
all that I am interested in and committed to. The enormous success of
the film marked the beginning of a major come-back for me. Today I
have a lot of other projects in hand and the way things are shaping
up, I intend to go hammer and tongs for it and attempt to be one of
the major stars of the Indian screen soon.
| 
