35 years of Khoon Bhari Maang: Kabir Bedi says, ‘Young girls were scared of me after watching the film’

Actor Kabir Bedi looks back at the journey and legacy of his film Khoon Bhari Maang on its 35th anniversary

It was a phone call from director Rakesh Roshan that propelled actor Kabir Bedi to take a break from his career in Hollywood, and come to India to be a part of Khoon Bhari Maang. Now, 35 years later, the actor is happy about his decision, as he confesses that people still come up to him to discuss the iconic project.

Kabir Bedi starred alongside Rekha in Khoon Bhari Maang, which was directed by Rakesh Roshan

“I was in Hawaii shooting for Magnum, P.I. with Tom Selleck when I got a call from Rakesh Roshan in my, asking me to feature in his film as a hero. I was happy, but asked him ‘Are the actors in Bollywood on strike that you are calling me from America’. That’s because I was not working in Bollywood at that time,” Bedi tells us.

That was when Roshan told him that “no hero was ready to play the character” as it turns villain. The 77-year-old continues, “He explained to me that if he takes a villain there will be no surprise, and asked me to do it. I just asked who was the leading lady, and agreed when I got to know it was Rekha because she was at the height of her fame at that moment. She was reigning queen. I came back and shot the film and it went on to become one of my biggest hits”.

Also starring Rekha, the film narrated a story of how a woman who comes back to take revenge from her husband who tried to kill her by throwing her in front of a crocodile in a lake.

For Bedi, Khoon Bhari Maang is a story of woman empowerment, with the good winning over the evil. And he doesn’t take a moment before crediting Roshan for bringing out the best in him and Rekha. In fact, the actor feels his character had a deep impact, especially the scene where he throws Rekha in the water.

“I have fans come up to me to talk about the film. Nobody can forget the scene where I threw Rekha to crocodiles. It made a lot of young girls scared of me. After some time, and watching my other projects, they realised I was acting. But at that time, they thought I was the most dangerous man on the planet,” he quips, adding that he had no qualms about it. “Actors like and want to have a scene for which we are remembered forever”.

.Recently, Bedi met Rekha at an awards show, which made fans nostalgic, and some even wondered if the film should be remade. But the actor is simply against the idea.

“I don’t think it is a film which needs to be remade because it was so well made to start with. What will they add to it? Good films stay forever, and are often watched again and again on TV or streaming services. Also, there will be no thrill in the remake because you know what the story is, and it has been done well by actors. What new things can you bring? So, I don’t think anyone should make a remake of the film,” he ends.