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!

- Sudhakar Jha

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. 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.