11 years after actress Parveen Babi died, the Bombay High
Court has accepted the legitimacy of her will. This move has paved the way for
most of her properties to be diverted towards philanthropic endeavor to improve
the lives of underprivileged women and children.
As informed by a famous magazine, the will, which was
produced by her maternal uncle in 2005, was probated last week after relatives
from her father's family dropped their claim that the document was fake. Their
decision ended the long-running feud over an estate that includes a sea-facing,
four-bedroom flat in Juhu, a haveli in Junagadh, jewellery, deposits
of at least Rs 20 lakh in banks, and other investments. According to the will,
80% of Parveen's wealth should be used to form and run a trust, which will help
underprivileged women and children from the Babi community of Junagadh, where
she was born.
The Parveen Babi Trust will be headed by her 82-year-old
uncle, Muradkhan Babi, who was close to her and who has been given 20% of the
estate. No other family member has been offered a share. 10% of the trust's
funds will be channeled to St Xavier's College in Ahmedabad, where the actress
did her master's in English literature before taking up modelling. The total
value of the estate is yet to be determined as until now it had been under the
control of the Administrator General and Official Trustee, which manages
properties for people who have not left behind a will.
Parveen, who starred in some of the most popular movies of
the 70s and 80s, was found dead in her Juhu flat on January 22, 2005. The
56-year-old star, who lived alone, was thought to have died because of problems
resulting from diabetes.
An emotional Muradkhan said he was relieved the court case
had ended. “Parveen was very close to me; she grew up in my arms.The legal
battle was never really about money or the 20% share she has given me.It was
about her last wishes. I will use her estate to create a trust that will keep
her alive forever,” he told.
The High Court has asked the parties concerned to execute
the directions in the will before December 23.
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