Rajat Bedi on losing his father early: I realised much later what I had truly missed

There are some losses that a child cannot fully comprehend in the moment, only beginning to understand their weight much later in life. For Rajat Bedi, that understanding came years after he lost his father, acclaimed filmmaker Narendra Bedi, at the age of just nine. What once felt like an absence without meaning slowly turned into a deeper awareness of what it means to grow up without a father’s presence.Rajat shares, “I lost my father when I was nine and couldn’t process the loss back then. As I grew up, I realised what it meant to have a father, who is often the strongest pillar and a protective figure in a child’s life. Later, when I saw other children with their fathers, I understood what I had missed and felt a huge vacuum.”The absence also reshaped life for the family in practical and emotional ways. He says, “After my father’s death, it was very challenging because my mom has always been a housewife, and raising three children became extremely difficult for her.

It is also true that the way our family was recognised changed. Earlier, the whole industry would be at our house, but after dad passed away, leaving one or two people aside, many turned their backs on us.

However, I hold no grudges. My mom always tells us that dad believed in taking the positives and moving on with a smile and head held high.”Rajat still carries fragments of memory that feel personal and vivid, especially moments from his childhood when his father, despite his demanding career, would make time for affection and warmth.

He recalls, “I remember being with him on shoots, being with him on the bed, him hugging me and playing a little with me. But he used to be extremely busy.”Looking back, the Ba***ds of Bollywood actor understands the legacy Narendra Bedi left behind through films like Jawani Diwani, Benaam, Rafoo Chakkar and Maha Chor, which continue to be remembered as part of Hindi cinema’s popular era. But for him, that legacy extends far beyond cinema.

It is also shaped by his personal journey of growing up without a father and how it has influenced the way he raises his children – Vivaan and Vera – today.He shares, “Today, when I look at my relationship with them, I realise I am trying to give them what I missed with my father. I may not have had a long journey with him, but I hope he is proud of the father I have become. Main apne bachchon ko girne nahi deta... yahi hota hai baap ka hona.”