Veteran actor
Kabir Bedi married British-born producer and researcher Parveen Dusanj on January 16, 2016, after nearly a decade of being in a committed relationship. At the time, Kabir was 70 and Parveen was 41, marking a 29-year age difference between them.
Parveen, a London-based researcher and producer, has often been credited by Kabir as one of his strongest pillars of support. The marriage came after Kabir’s divorce from his third wife, Nikki Bedi, in 2005.
In a candid conversation with Radio Nasha, the couple revisited their love story — from their first meeting in London to navigating differences in age and life experience.
‘That’s where I met Parveen’
When asked about their first meeting, Kabir recalled it vividly.
“Yes, of course. The beginning was in London. I was performing in a play at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End. It’s a big theatre — around 1,700 seats, with multiple balconies and box sections.
After the show, there are usually invitations to different gatherings and parties. So I attended one such party — and that’s where I met Parveen.
She hadn’t come there to meet me. She had accompanied a friend who wanted to become an actress and wanted to meet me. Honestly, I wasn’t particularly interested in her friend. But when I met Parveen, something felt different. There was an instant connection — though initially, we were just acquaintances.”
‘I stereotyped him’
Parveen admitted she initially judged him based on his profession.
“He was being very charming and polite to my friend — very sweet, very engaging. I was sitting there observing everything. At that time, I had a very serious job. I worked with the government on social policy research. I had no connection to the film or acting world.
So yes, I stereotyped him. I thought, ‘He’s an actor — probably shallow.’ I didn’t know any better at the time. He knows this!” she said with a laugh.
However, her perception began to shift during their conversation.
“But then he started talking about going to Holy Island in Scotland that weekend — this beautiful little island. That caught my attention. It felt unusual. Then he mentioned that his mother had become a Buddhist nun. That really surprised me. I thought, ‘Okay, this is interesting... maybe there’s more depth here than I assumed.’”
From friendship to love
Kabir revealed that when he realised he was attracted to Parveen, he chose honesty.
“When I realized I was attracted to her, I was very honest. I told her clearly that my marriage had recently ended and I wasn’t ready for a serious commitment. I said, ‘If you want something casual, that’s fine. But I’m not ready for a long-term commitment right now.’”
Parveen was equally clear in her response.
“And I told him just as clearly — I don’t do casual relationships. It’s better we remain friends.”
Kabir added, “And that’s exactly what we did. For about four to six months, we were just friends. But life has its own way of bringing people closer. Slowly, that friendship turned into love — and it became something very deep and meaningful.”
‘I went into it with my eyes wide open’
Addressing the age gap and Kabir’s past marriages, Parveen explained why she chose to stay.
“That’s a good question. I went into this relationship with my eyes wide open. There was history. There was baggage. It would have been foolish to ignore that.
But what made me hold on was that he is a genuinely good, decent human being.
Even after three marriages, he still believed in love. He wasn’t bitter. He wasn’t cynical. He was still optimistic. He still believed in the power of love and marriage. I found that incredibly beautiful.”
Kabir, too, spoke about why he chose marriage again.
“If I didn’t believe in marriage, why would I keep getting married? If I wanted to be single, I would stay single.
By that stage in my life, I knew I wanted companionship. Yes, being single has advantages. But the depth of companionship and love you get in marriage — you don’t get that in a casual relationship.
We build a life together. We are aligned in many ways. I have my strengths and weaknesses; she has hers. But together, we are better.”Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the
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