Mahesh Bhatt reflects on Parveen Babi’s struggles, saying she should’ve left films to protect her well-being.
In a recent interview, prominent filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt talked candidly about his once-close connection with the renowned actress Parveen Babi. Bhatt remarked on their time together as someone who had watched a stunning, gifted woman gradually fade into her own world due to mental illness, rather than merely as a director or public figure.
“I truly believe Parveen should have stepped away from the camera and spotlight when her mind began to spiral,” he said with regret. “But in this industry, sometimes even pain gets glamorized.”
Their love story is well-documented but rarely told from the lens of quiet heartbreak. Bhatt met Parveen during the height of her fame in the late 1970s. With her striking on-screen persona and appearance on magazine covers, she was one of the most desired actresses of her era. But behind her charisma was a fragile mental state battling undiagnosed schizophrenia, a disorder that was not well understood or compassionately handled in those days.
Bhatt revealed that her descent into mental illness was painful to witness. “There were moments of clarity, of laughter, of warmth,” he recalled, “but then, there were also moments when she couldn’t differentiate between reality and illusion.”
Despite the emotional chaos, he stood by her often shielding her from both public gossip and personal demons. It was this deeply personal experience that later inspired him to create the film Arth, which loosely portrayed aspects of their relationship.
But even now, decades later, there’s a part of Bhatt that wonders: if she had stepped away from films earlier, could she have found peace? Could her life have been different?
His reflections also shine a light on a darker truth in the entertainment world: mental health is often overlooked, misunderstood, or worse dismissed entirely.
“She needed help, not headlines,” Bhatt emphasized. “And we, as an industry and as people around her, failed to recognize that in time.”
Parveen Babi’s life ended in 2005, when she was found alone in her apartment, an ending that haunted many who once knew her, including Bhatt. Far from the glamor and hustle of the movie industry, her later years were characterized by isolation and loneliness.
Bhatt’s recent remarks are not just a tribute; they are a reminder. Behind every famous face is a human story, full of cracks and moments of vulnerability. Fame, applause, and glamour can often drown the silent cries for help.
“I don’t want to romanticize tragedy,” Bhatt concluded, “but I want to remind people: listen to your inner world. Sometimes, the bravest thing to do is to step away.”
Parveen Babi may be gone, but her story still whispers through the corridors of Bollywood a bittersweet memory of brilliance, beauty, and the desperate need for compassion.
