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Kabir Bedi, a prominent actor and heartthrob of the 80s and 90s, earned immense popularity both in India and internationally with iconic roles in projects like Khoon Bhari Maang and the Italian TV series Sandokan. While he enjoyed mass adoration at the peak of his career, his personal life was marked by profound tragedy—the loss of his son, Siddharth Bedi, at the young age of 26. Siddharth, a bright and gifted young man with a passion for technology, was a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University with honours. He had a deep interest in computers and a sharp mind. However, behind his brilliance was a painful struggle. Siddharth was diagnosed with schizophrenia, which evenually led to his suicide. This heartbreaking period unfolded while Kabir Bedi was also facing severe financial challenges, making it an incredibly difficult time for the entire family.
In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Kabir Bedi’s daughter and actor Pooja Bedi opened up about the devastating loss of her younger brother and the emotional toll it took on the family. “My brother died by suicide when I was pregnant with Alaya. His death came as a huge shock,” Pooja revealed. “Dad was there with him in America when he passed away. It was very tough for my father—he walked into the room and saw it. I can’t imagine what they went through at that point in time.”
Due to her pregnancy, Pooja had to maintain emotional stability despite the overwhelming grief. “They tried to calm me down. I wanted to stay calm for the child in my tummy. I didn’t want the trauma to lead to a miscarriage or impact my baby. I stayed positive. As much as I loved him and missed him, I knew his journey had ended—and mine still had to continue.”
She shared that Siddharth left behind heartfelt messages for the family in his final note. “He had left a very sweet message for me and my child. He even wrote a letter to my mom. That incident was unnecessary, but he decided to end his journey,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “I really wish he had done things differently and lived.”
Pooja reflected on the emotional distance created by geography and personal struggles during Siddharth’s illness. “He was in America. I was in India. I was dealing with my own challenges—being married, trying to be the perfect wife. I was busy while he was suffering. Initially, they didn’t diagnose him correctly. First they said, it was depression, then bipolar disorder. It took a long time to reach the correct diagnosis of schizophrenia.”
Recalling their childhood bond, Pooja said, “My brother and I were inseparable. We shared everything—even the same bedroom, sometimes even the same toothbrush. We had the same friends, loved the same food, and went to the same boarding school. He was just one and a half years younger than me. We were extremely close.”
Despite the tragic outcome, the family chose not to shy away from discussing Siddharth’s mental health. “He had schizophrenia. He later died by suicide. His death made me think deeply about mental wellness and how little it was spoken about back then. Most people would sweep such issues under the carpet. But we talked about it openly, and I believe that openness gave others the courage to come forward.”
Previously, Kabir Bedi recalled the incident in an interview with Aaj Tak, where he said: “I suffered heavy losses due to bad investments. This happened at a time when my son was suffering from schizophrenia, there is a chapter in my book too which details how I dealt with it and how people should deal with it. I tried to prevent him from suicide. When the tragedy did happen, and I couldn’t save him, I suffered immense guilt.”
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