Parveen Babi - Career

Career

Parveen's modelling career began in 1973 and was quickly followed by her film debut with the film Charitra (1973) opposite cricketer Salim Durrani. The film was a resounding flop but Parveen was noticed and was snapped up for several more films. Her first major hit was Majboor (1974) opposite Amitabh Bachchan. Along with Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi helped change the image of the Indian film heroine. She was the first Bollywood star to appear on the front page of the Time (magazine) in July 1976, much to the consternation of her contemporaries.

Throughout her career, she was thought of more as a glamourous heroine than a serious actress. She was also known as a fashion icon. Famous designer Manish Malhotra says, "Parveen Babi brought minimalism into fashion. She was always impeccable, not overdoing it even once."

Parveen was considered to be one of the most successful actresses of her era, along with Hema Malini, Rekha, Zeenat Aman, Jaya Bhaduri, Neetu Singh and Raakhee. She starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan in eight films, all of which were hits or super hits. She also starred in other hit films such as Suhaag (1979), Kaala Patthar (1979), and Namak Halaal (1982) opposite Shashi Kapoor, Kaala Sona (1975) opposite Feroz Khan, and Jaani Dost (1983) opposite Dharmendra. Towards the end of her career, she appeared in offbeat films like Vinod Pande's Yeh Nazdeekiyan (1982), playing the role of the "other woman" opposite Marc Zuber and Dil... Akhir Dil Hai (1982), opposite Naseeruddin Shah.

She was often compared with her contemporary Zeenat Aman due to their common image of being sex-symbols. In fact, she acted alongside Zeenat in Mahaan (1983) and Ashanti (1982) (inspired by the American television show Charlie's Angels, with the third role played by Shabana Azmi). In films like Deewar (1975), Shaan (1980) and Namak Halaal (1982) her screen presence may have been minimal (the films largely working around the hero) but Babi brought a certain attractive aloofness to the roles and songs she appeared in. In Manoj Kumar's big hit Kranti (1981), she stole scenes with her supporting role from Hema Malini, the heroine of the film.

Her memorable roles include as Jenny in Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Sunita in Shaan (film) 1980, Anita in Deewaar (1975 film). She was also the original choice to the role for the female protagonist in Silsila (film) along with Smita Patil, but was later dropped by Yash Chopra, who said Babi was fine but Smita Patil was hurt, mainly because the filmmaker had asked his actor friend Shashi Kapoor to pass the bad news to Smita.

Finally She disappeared from the film scene in 1983 without informing anyone about her whereabouts, rising to exaggerated rumours or pompous claims started whispering in the industry that she might have been kidnapped and is under the control of Underworld mafia. Many of her completed films released in the following years right uptill her last film Aakarshan releasing in 1988.