I was ordained a monk at 10: Kabir Bedi

After theatre, films and TV shows, veteran actor Kabir Bedi has joined the cast of an upcoming show about the life and teachings of Gautam Buddha. Bedi will play a monk in the show based on the historic facts of Buddha.

After theatre, films and TV shows, veteran actor Kabir Bedi has joined the cast of an upcoming show about the life and teachings of Gautam Buddha. “I am playing a sage who foresees the coming of the Buddha. I couldn’t refuse Dr BK Modi (producer), who is a friend of mine,” says Kabir. The show is based on historical facts and will tell the story of prince Siddharth and his transition into the Buddha.

The actor has a personal connection with Buddhism. “My mother was a Buddhist nun in Tibet for the last 15 years of her life. I was also ordained a monk in Burma when I was 10. I spent a few months in a monastery as well. My head was shaved, and I was put in a room, had to wear a robe, roam the streets with a bowl to get donations of food from people and meditate for certain hours in the day. I spent the summer that year as a Buddhist monk.”

His last show Ganga Ki Dheej was a dud and Kabir was disappointed. “I played a pivotal role in the series but sadly they changed the story and the show stopped working. What they narrated to me and what they showed eventually was very different,” he says. Kabir adds that he’s open to more offers but says that “so far the roles offered weren’t good and were not offering enough money.”