Mahesh Bhatt reveals Parveen Babi's ‘mental health episode’ forced him to re-shoot entire film with Rekha: ‘I was in a relationship…’
Mahesh Bhatt reveals Parveen Babi's ‘mental health episode’ forced him to re-shoot an entire film with Rekha. The filmmaker added that because he was in love with her, he wanted that project to work.
![Mahesh recalls re-shooting entire film because of Parveen Babi's ‘mental health episode’ (Image: IMDb) Mahesh recalls re-shooting entire film because of Parveen Babi's ‘mental health episode’ (Image: IMDb)](https://www.pinkvilla.com/images/2024-08/473100020_rekha-parveen.jpg)
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to mental health problems and death.
Mahesh Bhatt has looked back at his three-year-long tumultuous relationship with the 70s icon Parveen Babi. The actress is no more with us and stories about what led to her tragic death continue to remain under the grave. The filmmaker, however, has looked back at Babi’s mental health episode and revealed that it made him reshoot an entire film with another actress.
While speaking to Radio Nasha, Bhatt detailed the difficult phase of his life when he was in love with Parveen and had decided to do a film titled Ab Meri Baari starring her in the lead alongside Dev Anand, Rishi Kapoor, and Tina Ambani.
Mahesh shared, “I was in a relationship with her, and when you are with someone you want to spend time with them… During the shooting of the film, she had a mental (health) episode, got sick and the film was stopped. Then we took Rekha ji and reshot it but because of lack of finance, it couldn’t be completed.”
Several reports suggest that Bhatt and Babi’s love brewed after the latter’s split with Kabir Bedi in 1977. Mahesh Bhatt reportedly had prioritized the actress before his family without knowing that his love would see a downfall soon. Parveen Babi was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, which led to her intense delusions and paranoia, sending her away from Mahesh and the entire world in that case.
Despite being a stardom-like superstar, Babi remained in isolation during her last few years as her struggle with her mental health intensified. Parveen tragically passed left for her heavenly abode in 2005 at the mere age of 50. The actress is still remembered by her admirers with warm hearts despite a life that was one for the books and nobody should ever see that kind of farewell.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
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