FHM Hero: Ranjeet – iconic baddie, real hero

Gopal Bedi turned into one of the most iconic villains of Indian cinema, Ranjeet. His journey ranges from being a goalie in the college football team to joining Indian Air Force! After almost 5 decades in the industry, there is something in this man which makes him the FHM Hero!

Early life, Goliji and Indian Air Force

I was born in Amritsar as Gopal Bedi and our father Dwaraka Prasad Bedi had an electrical accessories factory in Delhi.

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Growing up, I played soccer and was a goalkeeper. It was during those times that my friends started calling me Goaliji. People still fondly call me Goliji! During college, my friends joined the Indian Air Force. I filled up a form as well and got selected. I started training as an air force cadet.

During my training, I became good friends with the instructor’s daughter and was accused of a romantic relationship with her. It was nothing like that, but I was immediately expelled from the IAF. When I returned home, I met a UK-based film enthusiast named Ronnie Singh at a party in Delhi. He offered me a role in a film that he was planning to make. Since I didn’t have any work, I agreed. He asked me to accompany him to Mumbai. I knew that I wouldn’t be allowed to work in movies so I lied that I was going for sightseeing.

First night in Mumbai

My first night in Mumbai was very memorable. Ronnie was staying at director Chetan Anand’s home and took me there. It was a sea-facing bungalow in Juhu. I had a very good time there and I was thinking that on the first night in Mumbai, I was sitting with one of the most famous directors of Indian cinema. The next day, Ronnie put me up at the Sun ’n’ Sand Hotel in Juhu. In the evening, he asked me to meet him in the hotel’s pool-facing restaurant. There were a lot of beautiful girls, lying in their bikinis. I couldn’t get my eyes off them. After some time, Sunil Dutt joined us. He had a flamboyant personality and looked very charming. Dutt saab took us home in his sports car, an MG convertible. Dutt saab took us to his terrace, where a party was just about to begin.

Dutt saab chatted about movies with his guests and I remember that as an outsider, I would just laugh when they laughed. At around 1 am, a servant called us for dinner. Dutt saab told him that they were still having drinks. Then, around 2.30 am, I heard a voice, “Dutt saab!” Everyone stood up and said, “Namaste bhabhiji.” It was Nargis Dutt. “Dutt saab,” she said again, “the food has been warmed three times.”

I was in awe of Nargisji. I had only seen her in films. But there she was right in front of me in the middle of the night, happily serving food that she had cooked.

Parties in Mumbai!

The third day in Mumbai was also very memorable. Ronnie said he would take me to a film studio. I was excited. We went to RK Studios. Raj Kapoor had a great personality, and one of the most humble men I have ever met. I still remember his style of dipping rusk in tea and eating it. Later in the evening, he invited us home for dinner and drinks. Randhir Kapoor made the first round of drinks. The drinks continued way past midnight. A servant came and asked whether he should warm the food. Raj saab said, “Haan tum khaana garam karo tab tak hum sharaab khatam karte hai.” We finally had dinner at 3.30 am.

As Ronnie was driving me to my hotel, I asked whether it was a fashion amongst celebrities to drink every night and eat very late. Life went on like this for a few days. Every day I would meet a new star.

Ronnie decided to rent a four-bedroom bungalow in Juhu and convert it into an office to work on his film, Zindagi Ki Rahein. I started living in the house. I was supposed to play the lead, but the film’s financer backed out. Ronnie decided to return to London, arrange for finance, and come back to make the film. I was left behind alone, with the entire bungalow at my disposal.

Ronnie did not return for almost a month and the bills were rising. I was under a lot of pressure. One day, I decided to pack my bags and return to Delhi!

First film

But destiny had something else in mind! I was having lunch in Bandra and a friend of mine from Delhi met me there. Like me, he had come to Mumbai with the aspiration of working in films, but he did not have any luck. He knew I was close to Dutt saab and that he was making Reshma Aur Shera. He asked me to put in a word for him. As I reached Dutt saab’s office, his manager came running to me and said, “Arre, Goliji kaha ho aap?” He said Dutt saab was looking for me, as he wanted to cast me as Waheeda Rehman’s brother in the film.

I was shocked. After a few days, I went to Dutt saab’s office, where I learnt that I was out of the movie! Meanwhile, Dutt saab was furious that I did not attend the dress rehearsals. He wasn’t aware that my name had been removed from the cast.

The next day, I decided to go and complain to Dutt saab that I was thrown out of the film. When he saw me, he held me by the collar and said, “Who do you think you are? I offered you a film and you don’t turn up for the rehearsals?” I explained him the situation and he was stunned. He called his manager and told him that I was doing the film and no further changes were to be made in the cast. This is how I got Reshma Aur Shera.

First rape scene

Reshma Aur Shera was shot in Jaisalmer. I shared a tent with Amitabh Bachchan, Ali Raza and Thapa. I really had a good time working on the film. Raakhee was impressed with my acting and told me to meet director Samir Ganguly, who was making Sharmeelee.

I was offered the role of a molester, and I agreed. I invited my entire family for the film’s premiere in Delhi. When they saw me trying to rape the heroine, they walked out of the theatre. My parents were furious. When I returned home, my mother told me to get out of the house.

It took me a lot of time to convince them that I was just playing a role and didn’t actually rape the heroine. Since then, filmmakers started casting me in negative roles. I laugh it off when people call me a rapist. I was a villain in films, but not in my personal life. It was just my job.

Family is important

Family is a very important part of my life. I love my kids and want them to be successful in whatever field they chose to be in. My daughter, Divyanka is a fashion and a jewellery designer. She currently works with Manish Arora and is planning to launch her collection soon. My son, Chiranjeev was keen to become a Formula One driver, but the sport isn’t big in India. He has shown an interest in acting, so I am planning to launch him very soon!

Courtesy: Hitesh Harisinghani

From the September 2017 issue of FHM India.