Kabir Bedi Opens Up About His Fourth Marriage, Daughter Pooja’s Anger, and Healing Years of Family Rift

Veteran Bollywood actor Kabir Bedi has once again made headlines, not for his powerful performances in Indian and international cinema, but for opening up about the emotional storm his fourth marriage caused within his family. In a recent interview, Bedi candidly spoke about how his decision to marry Parveen Dusanj, a woman thirty years younger than him, deeply affected his bond with daughter Pooja Bedi – leading to years of silence between them.

Kabir Bedi, now in his late seventies, is known for his legendary roles in films like Khoon Bhari Maang, Sandokan, and the James Bond film Octopussy. However, his personal life has often overshadowed his cinematic achievements. Over his lifetime, Bedi has married four times, but it was his fourth marriage in 2016 to British-born model and producer Parveen Dusanj that created a media frenzy.

The controversy erupted because Parveen, at the time, was even younger than Kabir’s daughter Pooja. Pooja Bedi, an actress and columnist known for her outspoken views, reacted sharply to her father’s decision. The rift between father and daughter became public when Pooja called her stepmother a “wicked witch” on Twitter, saying:

“Every fairy tale has a wicked witch or an evil stepmother… mine just arrived.”

This tweet instantly went viral, sparking debates across social media about family dynamics, remarriage at an older age, and women’s reactions to their fathers marrying younger partners.

In the interview, Kabir Bedi revealed the emotional toll the situation took on him. He shared:

“Problems come in every relationship. I don’t want to repeat the reasons again, but there were misunderstandings. She (Pooja) did some things that upset me, and I must have done some things that upset her too. The important thing is that for two to three years, we stayed apart because of these differences. But now, all of that is over.”

The veteran actor emphasised that the most painful part was not speaking to his daughter for nearly three years. The father-daughter duo, once inseparable, became strangers overnight. Their mutual resentment and disappointment kept them away from each other’s lives for an extended period.

Kabir further added:

“Our relationship is strong now. It is a good relationship between a father and daughter. I am proud of everything she is doing. There is a lot of love and respect between us.”

Today, Pooja Bedi is known for her fearless writing, social campaigns, and public speaking, and Kabir Bedi beams with pride as he talks about her achievements.

Who Is Parveen Dusanj?

While many remember Parveen Dusanj primarily as Kabir Bedi’s fourth wife, she is an accomplished professional in her own right. A graduate from the UK, Parveen has worked extensively in media production. She produced the critically acclaimed Bad Boy Billionaires for Netflix, a documentary series exploring India’s biggest corporate scams and controversial tycoons.

Kabir shared:

“She is a producer with her own career and many upcoming projects. She respects me, and I respect her equally.”

Parveen and Kabir’s marriage raised eyebrows due to the large age gap, but both have maintained a dignified silence over public criticism, choosing to focus on their bond instead of trolls. Their wedding, held a day before Kabir’s 70th birthday, was attended by close friends and family in an intimate ceremony, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the actor.

The Pain of a Broken Family Bond

For Kabir, the years without his daughter’s love were the darkest. He admitted that no amount of professional success could replace the void left by her absence. The actor believes that family rifts, especially between parents and children, are far more painful than public scrutiny.

Pooja, on the other hand, has always been vocal about her perspectives. In past interviews, she stated she found it “deeply unsettling” that her father married someone younger than her. The idea of calling someone of her age “mom” felt humiliating, she explained. However, as time passed, wounds healed, and both realised that peace was more valuable than ego.

Kabir Bedi reflected:

“In life, relationships go through ups and downs. What matters is that we come out stronger. Today, I am at peace because my family is at peace.”

A Life Full of Love, Loss, and Lessons

Kabir Bedi’s life has been nothing short of dramatic. He first married Protima Bedi, a renowned classical dancer and model. Their relationship, though passionate, was tumultuous, and the two parted ways after having two children – Pooja and Siddharth. Siddharth, tragically, suffered from schizophrenia and died by suicide in 1997, a grief that Kabir admits will remain his life’s deepest wound.

After Protima, Kabir married British fashion designer Susan Humphreys, with whom he had a son, Adam Bedi, now a successful model and actor. Later, he married TV and radio presenter Nikki Bedi, but this relationship too ended in divorce. Finally, in 2016, he found companionship in Parveen Dusanj, proving that love knows no age.

Despite these multiple marriages and tragedies, Kabir has remained philosophical about love and relationships. In his autobiography Stories I Must Tell: The Emotional Life of an Actor, he candidly writes about his regrets, vulnerabilities, and the quest for emotional fulfilment.

Moving Forward As a Family

Today, nine years after his marriage to Parveen, Kabir Bedi’s family is back on track. Pooja Bedi has also moved on in life, focusing on her children, her fiancé, and her ventures as an entrepreneur and motivational speaker. She often shares glimpses of her father on social media, indicating that the bitter past is long buried.

Kabir concludes:

“We are happy now. I cherish my family. Life is too short to hold on to anger.”

The story of Kabir Bedi and Pooja Bedi is not just about a daughter upset over her father’s choices; it is also a testament to the complexities of blended families, intergenerational clashes, and the healing power of time. Their journey proves that love is not always simple, but forgiveness makes life peaceful again.