What struck me most about Kolkata this time was the disappearance of yellow taxis, says Kabir Bedi

From

Octopussy

to

Khoon Bhari Maang

— Kabir Bedi made his presence felt not only in Bollywood, but in European films and Hollywood as well. The actor, who was in Kolkata for a brief stopover on his way back from Murshidabad, said, “I was there to shoot for a film. On our way, I went to Santiniketan where I studied for a year. It was an emotional moment for me. As for Kolkata, I find this place to be a real haven for booklovers. Nothing beats the old-world charm of independent bookstores in the city. However, what struck me most about Kolkata this time was the disappearance of yellow taxis.”

Talking about being one of the most popular Indian faces in global cinema and why we can’t see him more often these days, he said, “No one has watched all the films that I’ve acted in, except for perhaps the

James Bond

film, Octopussy, and The Bold and the Beautiful, which were screened across the world. I’ve done many films since my return to India. But great roles come irregularly. However, this time, I found people in small towns recognising me more for my role in

Mohenjo Daro

, than my iconic Khoon Bhari Maang.”

The actor, who shares the warmest relationship with his granddaughter, Bollywood actress Alaya F, feels that she needs no advice from him and his blessings are enough for her. “Alaya is a brilliant actress and is very intelligent. I was so proud to present her the Best Debut Award last year. She has other films releasing next year, which will prove her versatility as an actress,” he said.



When the trauma of this pandemic forced us all to adapt to a new reality, Kabir saw this as an opportunity to write his autobiography, which he had been planning to for a long time. “People thought I was crazy to release my book during the second wave, when book shops were shut across the country. But I needed to tell my story as it is very different to what people think it is. I talked about many things that people normally hide. I wanted it to be authentic and real.”