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Journalism of Courage
Long-term relationships don’t always come with lifetime guarantees — and that’s something actor Kabir Bedi knows well. Known as much for his personal life as for his on-screen presence, Bedi has been married four times and has had several significant relationships, a fact he has never shied away from.
In an old conversation on Jashn-e-Rekhta’s YouTube channel, Bedi spoke openly about the judgements people make based on the number of relationships one has had. “Log yahi samajhte hain ki itni shaadiyan ki hain, divorces kiye hain, ladies man hi hoga. Aur main samjh sakta hun ki log aisa kyu sochte hain (People assume that since I’ve had so many marriages and divorces, I must be a ladies’ man. And I can understand why they think that),” he admitted. But he was quick to clarify that none of his relationships were fleeting. “Haqeeqat yeh hai ki jitne mere rishte rahe hain, koi one night stand nahi tha, lambe the 6, 7, 8 saal. Do rishte 15-15 saal tak the. Yeh koi quickies nahi the, yeh kafi lambe rishte rahe hain, significant rahe hain aur main bohot kuch seekha hun unse (The truth is, all my relationships were long-term, not one-night stands. They lasted 6, 7, 8 years. Two of them went on for as long as 15 years. These weren’t quick flings; they were meaningful, lasting relationships, and I’ve learned a lot from them).”
He even shared that his former partners have remained on good terms with him, adding that “if a relationship cannot last a lifetime, it’s better to leave it at a point where it’s still peaceful and loving.”
Neha Parashar, clinical psychologist, Mindtalk, tells indianexpress.com, “Judging someone solely by the number of relationships they’ve had overlooks the emotional depth and growth each relationship may bring. As a society, we often hold on to outdated narratives that equate relationship count with instability or frivolity. But emotional connection, commitment, and personal evolution don’t follow a single mould.
What Kabir Bedi articulates reminds us that meaningful connections can take many forms across a lifetime. Parashar adds, “The more important question isn’t ‘how many,’ but ‘how honest, respectful, and growth-oriented were those relationships?’ To shift our thinking, we need to normalise conversations around emotional maturity, the impermanence of some partnerships, and the courage it takes to walk away when growth stops.”
Recognising the early signs that a relationship is no longer serving both individuals takes emotional insight and self-honesty. Often, people wait for a crisis, betrayal, constant conflict, or emotional withdrawal, before considering an end. But as Kabir Bedi suggests, leaving when mutual respect still exists can preserve the dignity of what was shared.
“The right time often reveals itself through repeated patterns of misalignment, unmet emotional needs, or a quiet erosion of joy and connection. It may start as a persistent feeling of loneliness, or a sense of growing apart despite no major conflict. Emotional check-ins, both with oneself and with a partner, can help surface these feelings before they become resentment. Ending peacefully is not giving up; it can be a conscious act of preserving goodwill and choosing emotional health over prolonged discomfort,” concludes Parashar.
