Straight Answers

kabir bedi actor on his forthcoming projects: after a long sabbatical, you return as shah jahan in akbar khan’s taj mahal. how does it feel to play one of the greatest characters in history? having played othello and tughlaq earlier, i don’t think i am new to the genre of historicals. i have a dramatic intensity which allows me to portray characters from history rather well.do historical roles hold a special appeal for you? they do because a historical character is intense and deep-rooted. and even though it is often larger-than-life, the trick lies in humanising it, in showing its weaknesses.... that’s what makes the audience identify with the character. why did you give yourself such a long break from films? when you work very hard, after a certain point of time, boredom invariably sets in. however, i did do a few projects for tv — bold and beautiful. i also worked for nbc and hallmark. what also kept me away from films was the time i took in dealing with the tragedy of my son’s death. what are your forthcoming projects? i am awaiting the release of my film with the bbc called anita and me in may. i have also floated a production company — mango movies — and want to make good films in bollywood. tell us about your penchant for language and learning new words. i am always delighted to find words i haven’t heard of before. i like to look up their meaning and make them part of my vocabulary. the love of language is turning me into a wannabe writer. i am in the process of scribbling a memoir... though it’s not exactly an autobiography. how would you describe your life in showbiz? i am contrary by nature, a rebel at heart. i have always resisted being stereotyped. i did hema malini’s nupur for doordarshan at a time when it was considered a medium not to be reckoned with by established actors. whatever i may have done — theatre, good films, bad roles, brilliant cinema — my quest has always been to push new frontiers. so, i would say i’ve had a fascinating life.