Kabir Bedi to be awarded Golden Pegasus for film achievement

He may be an irregular visitor to India, but Kabir Bedi has grown into something of a superstar in Italy — even Europe — over the last 30 years. It’s now almost his adopted country and fittingly, this Sunday, he’ll step on stage to receive the Golden Pegasus Award for lifetime achievement — joining the likes of Billy Wilder, Peter Greenaway and Susan Strasberg - reports DNA India.

Says Kabir, “Italy may have adopted me but my heart belongs to India. But I feel immensely indebted to Italy for all the love and success they continue to give me. This award is for my entire body of work in Italy over the last 30 years.”

While his international successes include his role as Gobinda in the 1983 James Bond classic ‘Octopussy’ with Roger Moore ,and as Michael Caine’s tribal companion in ‘Ashanti’, his title role of a gritty freedom-fighting pirate in the European series ‘Sandokan’ was a huge hit in Europe.

But while he’s well acknowledged outside India’s borders - in 2005 he even received the Asian Jewel Lifetime Achievement Award in London — the Indian film industry seems to have forgotten to give him a similar award.

“The Indian film industry probably thinks of me as a young man and still has many wonderful roles in mind for me, so I would hate to rush them in to giving me lifetime awards,” chuckles Kabir in genuine good humour.

For the big night, Kabir will have his girlfriend for company. “Parveen (Dusanj) will be with me of course. We always travel together. I have prepared a long and tearful speech to let them know the best is yet to come!” he laughs.

Thanks to `Q` for the alert.

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