Actor Rajat Bedi, best known for his role in Koi... Mil Gaya, made a smashing comeback with Aryan Khan’s highly praised directorial debut series, The Ba***ds of Bollywood. Recently, during the promotionsRajat opened up about a deeply personal chapter from his life, his late father Narendra Bedi’s struggles during the peak of Bollywood’s golden era. Narendra Bedi was a celebrated filmmaker who directed some of the most popular Hindi films of the 1970s and 80s, including Benaam, Adalat, Jawani Deewani, Bandhan, and Sanam Teri Kasam. Despite his professional success, Rajat revealed that his father’s career took a tragic turn, largely due to professional rivalries and the pressures of the film industry.
Rajat Bedi opens up on rivalry between two Bollywood legends
In a recent interview, Rajat said his father’s downfall began around the time when tensions between Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna were at their peak. Narendra Bedi had worked with both actors, which allegedly created misunderstandings and professional conflicts.
The filmmaker had started multiple projects with Rajesh Khanna, but those films never took off. Rajat recalled that his father had even taken the production units to Pune and waited for days, but Khanna never showed up. Eventually, the films had to be shelved, resulting in huge financial losses for the family. According to Rajat, these repeated setbacks, along with old debts from his grandfather’s film ventures, pushed his father into a dark phase.
He struggled to manage the pressure and gradually slipped into depression and alcoholism. Rajat shared that his father became emotionally withdrawn during those years and often spent sleepless nights worrying about his career and family.
"For 10 to 15 days, Rajesh Khanna didn’t come and my father just closed the projects. I guess heroes at that time were problematic or something. So there were some issues between Rajesh Khanna and Papa, maybe because of Bachchan sahab or various other things. So Papa got into….," Rajat Bedi recalled.
How Narendra Bedi became an alcoholic?
The actor remembered that his father’s lifestyle changed drastically during this period. He said his father and Rajesh Khanna often spent long nights drinking together, and their friendship revolved around late-night parties that worsened his father’s condition. The heavy drinking began to affect his work and relationships on set. During the filming of Sanam Teri Kasam, Rajat revealed that actor Kamal Haasan was visibly upset because Narendra Bedi often came to work smelling of alcohol, something that saddened Rajat even years later.
Tragically, Rajat witnessed his father’s final moments. He recounted that one afternoon, after returning home from school, his father suddenly collapsed in front of him. “He was under immense emotional and financial strain,” Rajat said, describing it as a moment that changed his life forever.
Looking back at the episode, Rajat said his father’s story is a painful reminder of how fame, competition, and professional politics can destroy even the most talented individuals in the industry. He added that while his father’s legacy as a filmmaker remains intact, the personal cost of success was far too high.
As Rajat gears up for his comeback, he says he carries his father’s memory and lessons with him. The actor is a treat to watch in Aryan Khan's new series!
Rajat Bedi opens up on rivalry between two Bollywood legends
In a recent interview, Rajat said his father’s downfall began around the time when tensions between Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna were at their peak. Narendra Bedi had worked with both actors, which allegedly created misunderstandings and professional conflicts.
The filmmaker had started multiple projects with Rajesh Khanna, but those films never took off. Rajat recalled that his father had even taken the production units to Pune and waited for days, but Khanna never showed up. Eventually, the films had to be shelved, resulting in huge financial losses for the family. According to Rajat, these repeated setbacks, along with old debts from his grandfather’s film ventures, pushed his father into a dark phase.
He struggled to manage the pressure and gradually slipped into depression and alcoholism. Rajat shared that his father became emotionally withdrawn during those years and often spent sleepless nights worrying about his career and family.
"For 10 to 15 days, Rajesh Khanna didn’t come and my father just closed the projects. I guess heroes at that time were problematic or something. So there were some issues between Rajesh Khanna and Papa, maybe because of Bachchan sahab or various other things. So Papa got into….," Rajat Bedi recalled.
How Narendra Bedi became an alcoholic?
The actor remembered that his father’s lifestyle changed drastically during this period. He said his father and Rajesh Khanna often spent long nights drinking together, and their friendship revolved around late-night parties that worsened his father’s condition. The heavy drinking began to affect his work and relationships on set. During the filming of Sanam Teri Kasam, Rajat revealed that actor Kamal Haasan was visibly upset because Narendra Bedi often came to work smelling of alcohol, something that saddened Rajat even years later.
Tragically, Rajat witnessed his father’s final moments. He recounted that one afternoon, after returning home from school, his father suddenly collapsed in front of him. “He was under immense emotional and financial strain,” Rajat said, describing it as a moment that changed his life forever.
Looking back at the episode, Rajat said his father’s story is a painful reminder of how fame, competition, and professional politics can destroy even the most talented individuals in the industry. He added that while his father’s legacy as a filmmaker remains intact, the personal cost of success was far too high.
As Rajat gears up for his comeback, he says he carries his father’s memory and lessons with him. The actor is a treat to watch in Aryan Khan's new series!
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