Parveen Babi-A Life by Karishma Upadhyay-A poignant biography

At the age of 8 or 9 was the first time I saw Parveen Babi on screen in Namak Halal and it was love at first sight.The visual in the shimmery black gown with long beautiful tresses in the song Raat baaki is forever embedded in the memory of an awestruck admirer.

Started off as childhood first crush then and the love continues.Every time I watch her on screen till today,it leaves me as mesmerised as the first time.
Stunning,classy,stylish she was different from most heroines of her times.
So when a biography of hers came along recently,there was no way I wanted to miss it,though not without a lot of apprehension about the content and writing and facts.
The author Karishma Udadhyay however,has done a great job with her well researched and sensitive writing without being judgemental at any point.Right from her family background, childhood and upbringing, school,college and her metamorphosis from a shy small town girl to a carefree modern girl and then the glamorous film star.Her three major relationships and tryst with spiritualism and darkness of her mental health which caused major upheavels in her life,the book tries to cover as many aspects and dimensions of her life and personality as possible.

Interspersed with anecdotes and remembrances from many of her friends,co-stars,colleagues,ex-lovers,staff,secretary,relatives, producers and directors, acquaintances,it is a heart rending and poignant account of a reserved but bright,intelligent girl,a glamorous shining star whose life was engulfed by the dark abyss of her mental illness and her sad lonely end.

Sadly there was nobody who could understand her illness as there was hardly any awareness about such psychological issues then and nobody close enough who could convince her into taking the required treatment.
Almost all her colleagues, producers and directors remember her as a hassle free,punctual and professional person which is why she was a much preferred artist to work with,and even after long absence due to her major psychotic breakdowns,she was always welcomed back.

It is rather unfortunate that a selfish man like Mahesh Bhatt exploited the story of her mental illness to achieve accolades and success in Arth blatantly and without her knowledge or consent even though she was very much around at the time and which I seriously feel was a major aggravating factor of her final breakdown.Later again he used the story in Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi and Woh Lamhe.
Though most of her movies and roles mainly played on her glamorous persona and westernised style and appeal,I truely feel she had a potential which remained largely untapped and which was evident in films like Kaala Patthar,The Burning Train,Rang Birangi,Dil Aakhir Dil Hai and some more where she got the slightest of opportunity.
She may not have won awards but Parveen Babi will live on in the memory of fans,admirers and filmgoers for the bright and stunning star that she was through the various hit films and popular songs.

Vrishketu Rathore