Kabir Bedi has led an eventful life — his career spans three continents and as many mediums. The Oscar Academy member is thrilled about Bazodee, which premiered at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival recently, and interestingly, features a Trinidadian Soca music superstar Machel Montano. In a telephonic interview with MetroPlus , he talks about the film, his recent visit to the Indies and working in cinema at home and abroad.
Bazodee is said to blend Caribbean and Bollywood flavours… how does that work, and how did you get to be part of it?
I was doing a play in Canada (the role of Shah Jahan) when I got a call from a New York-based producer who had a project. The script is the story of a businessman of Indian-origin in the West Indies, who is on the verge of bankruptcy, while his daughter is set to marry another businessman. The film has some wonderful characters and an international cast. And it has good music; West Indian-style songs infused in the family drama.
A world premiere in the same place where you filmed must have been fun…
Oh yes! Shooting for the project in Trinidad and Tobago in early 2015 was special. This time around, when I was at the festival, I had time to visit some beautiful spots. The most spectacular thing I saw was a temple in the sea! I learnt that it was built by this man called Sewdass Sadhu, who had overcome several obstacles. In many ways, he reminded me of our very own Manjhi, the mountain man, on whom a film was made recently.
Today, we have many international stars from India, but you were among the first. It must have been tough back then…
Playing the pirate, Sandokan, on TV, made me a star in Europe. But then, I went to America and spent 16 years in Los Angeles, where they were not writing any roles for Asians! If they did, they’d paint white actors and make them do those roles. Fortunately, Hollywood has now realised the importance of the Indian market and has started writing roles for Indians as well. A number of actors of Indian origin are doing well there. Nothing gives me greater happiness than to see them successful, because I fought so hard…
Was doing three mediums — film, theatre and TV — also tough?
It wasn’t; the hard part was deciding where to be. I wanted a career in Europe and America, but did not want to lose contact with India. Where to be was my existential problem.
It’s now solved to a large extent, isn’t it? You’re doing two big films — Mohenjo Daro with Hrithik Roshan and Dilwale with Shah Rukh Khan…
It’s wonderful to be in demand!
You were slated to do a Tamil film, Aravaan, but didn’t get down to doing it. What happened?
I was looking forward to teaming up with Vasanthabalan and the team, but then, those dates clashed with my international commitments. If the right project comes along in Tamil, I will gladly take it up.
The South is doing some films that are being noticed globally; are you looking at the industries here?
I’m not an expert, but I certainly am aware of the filmmakers here. They’ve earned immense respect in India and abroad. With the rise of the Internet and festivals, there is more awareness even about smaller films. What Baahubali did in terms of breaking across all markets is a harbinger of things to come. When I was in Kerala to shoot for a film, I learnt about this new website in which you can release your film directly online, for audiences abroad to stream. Doesn’t that open up a world of possibilities?
