Mahesh Bhatt Reflects on Replacing Parveen Babi with Rekha Amid Their Love Affair in the 1970s
Mahesh Bhatt, the renowned filmmaker, once shared a passionate romance with the iconic actress Parveen Babi during the 1970s. In a recent interview, Bhatt revealed that during their time together, he began working on a film titled Ab Meri Baari with Parveen as the lead. However, due to a mental health episode that Parveen experienced during the shoot, Bhatt made the difficult decision to replace her with Rekha.
Despite the change, the project never saw completion, with Bhatt citing financial difficulties as the reason for its eventual abandonment.
Mahesh Bhatt on Replacing Parveen Babi with Rekha
In a conversation with Radio Nasha Official, Bhatt shared, “I was deeply involved with Parveen at the time, and naturally, I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. I started filming Ab Meri Baari, which was supposed to feature Dev Anand, Rishi Kapoor, Tina Ambani, and Parveen Babi.”
He continued, “However, during the shoot, Parveen had a mental health episode, and we had to halt production. We later brought Rekha ji on board to reshoot, but due to financial constraints, the film couldn’t be completed.”
The Love Story of Mahesh Bhatt and Parveen Babi
Bhatt and Babi’s relationship began in 1977, following her breakup with actor Kabir Bedi. Heartbroken, Parveen found solace in Bhatt, and the two quickly fell in love. Their relationship grew so intense that Bhatt left his wife, Lorraine Bright (also known as Kiran Bhatt), and their daughter Pooja Bhatt, to be with the Pati Patni Aur Woh actress.
However, Parveen’s mental health struggles began to strain their relationship. In a previous interview with Filmfare, Bhatt disclosed that top psychiatrists diagnosed Parveen with paranoid schizophrenia. Despite his efforts to help her, her condition worsened, leading to their eventual separation.
Bhatt recalled, “Sometimes she’d believe the air conditioner had a bug, and we’d have to dismantle it to prove it wasn’t true. Other times, she’d find ‘bugs’ in the fan or even in her perfume.”
Parveen Babi passed away alone in her Juhu home in 2005 at the age of 50, leaving behind a legacy that continues to be remembered. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, she delivered many iconic performances, including roles in Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Kaala Patthar (1979), and Namak Halaal (1982).
