Mahesh Bhatt reveals he replaced Parveen Babi with Rekha in a film after the former’s mental health episode: ‘When you are with someone…’ |

Mahesh Bhatt recently reflected on his intense and tumultuous three-year romance with the legendary Parveen Babi. Parveen, who sadly passed away at 50 in 2005, was originally cast in Bhatt’s film Ab Meri Baari. However, when she experienced a mental health crisis, Bhatt had to replace her with Rekha. Despite its star-studded cast, the film faced financial hurdles and was ultimately shelved, never making it to the big screen.
In a heartfelt conversation with Radio Nasha Official, Bhatt reflected on a challenging period in his life involving the late Parveen Babi.Bhatt revealed that while they were in a relationship, he began working on the film Ab Meri Baari to spend more time with her. The project initially included Dev Anand, Rishi Kapoor, Tina Ambani, and Parveen Babi. However, during filming, Parveen faced a mental health crisis, which halted production. Rekha was brought in to reshoot her role, but financial difficulties ultimately led to the film being shelved.

The filmmaker and the actress’ romance reportedly ignited in 1977, following her breakup with Kabir Bedi. Heartbroken, Parveen sought comfort in Bhatt, and their connection quickly blossomed into love. Bhatt even left his wife, Lorraine Bright (Kiran Bhatt), and their daughter, Pooja Bhatt, to be with Parveen. However, their intense relationship eventually crumbled under the weight of Parveen’s mental health struggles.

Parveen faced a difficult battle with paranoid schizophrenia. Her condition led to severe delusions, making her believe she was being targeted by powerful figures, including politicians and intelligence agencies. This intense paranoia caused her to retreat from the public eye, and despite her fame, Babi spent her later years in isolation, grappling with her mental health struggles.