The first Bollywood star to grace the cover of Time magazine
In short: Parveen Babi was more than a 1970s sex symbol; she was a pioneer of Westernized glamour in a traditional cinematic landscape. Yet, her meteoric rise from an aristocratic dynasty to international stardom was shadowed by a harrowing private battle with paranoia and mental health.
Born into the Babi dynasty in 1954, Parveen Babi was an only child raised in a 54-room haveli. Her father, a relative of the last Nawab of Junagadh, lost his titles and land following the 1948 referendum where 99.95% of the population voted to join independent India. Even with her diminished standing, Babi amassed vast riches, ranking among the top-earning performers during the 1970s and 1980s, with fees reaching roughly ₹2 to ₹3 lakh for each movie.
Babi broke cinematic molds by adopting a completely westernized image. While many contemporary heroines were defined by traditional Indian attributes, Babi's style provided her a unique latitude in a male-dominated industry. This distinctiveness led to her historic appearance on the cover of Time magazine in July 1976. However, her refusal to play 'traditional' roles often made it difficult for producers to cast her in standard leading parts.
Behind the glamour lay a severe struggle with paranoid schizophrenia. By 1979, Babi exhibited extreme symptoms, including the belief that her room was bugged and that actor Amitabh Bachchan was attempting to kill her. While the media often dismissed her condition as a result of a 'promiscuous lifestyle,' her close friend Mahesh Bhatt recognized the gravity of her ailment. She eventually sought treatment under the mentorship of spiritual guru U.G. Krishnamurti, who helped her manage her condition before she became increasingly reclusive in her later years.
Babi's life was marked by complex personal relationships and a deep spiritual evolution. She converted to Christianity in 1997 and spent her later years studying diverse subjects like architecture, politics, and human rights. She died in 2005 at the age of 50, leaving behind a legacy as a trailblazer who navigated the intersection of high fashion, celebrity, and mental health.
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