Kabir Bedi revisits Only Vimal era: 'Changing face of Indian fashion' in the 80s
Synopsis
Kabir Bedi's wife found old Only Vimal posters while moving house — and the veteran actor turned a domestic moment into a vivid flashback to 1980s Indian fashion. The rare archival images, posted on Instagram, are a reminder of how a Reliance clothing brand once shaped the country's aspirational style, with Bedi as one of its defining faces.
Key Takeaways
Kabir Bedi shared rare archival posters from his Only Vimal campaign on Instagram .
The images were discovered by his wife while the couple was moving house.
Only Vimal , a Reliance brand, was described by Bedi as 'part of the changing face of Indian fashion' in the 1980s .
The post features old newspaper clippings and photographs of Bedi in era-defining outfits.
Bedi's international career includes Sandokan (European TV series) and the James Bond film 'Octopussy' .
Veteran actor Kabir Bedi has shared a nostalgic look back at his association with Only Vimal, the iconic Reliance clothing brand that defined aspirational fashion in 1980s India. The actor posted rare archival posters and images on Instagram, describing the collection as 'a wonderful little archive of another time.'
How the Archive Surfaced
Bedi revealed that his wife stumbled upon the posters and photographs while the couple was in the middle of moving house. The discovery prompted the actor to revisit a formative chapter of his career — his years as one of the faces of Only Vimal, a brand that was then reshaping how Indians thought about clothing and style.
What Bedi Said About the Brand
In his Instagram post, Bedi wrote: 'My wife found these while we were moving house….Posters and images from different chapters of my journey — a wonderful little archive of another time — the 'Only Vimal' years. Vimal (a Reliance brand) was more than a clothing brand in those days — it was part of the changing face of Indian fashion, and being one of its faces was a memorable chapter in my journey.'
He added: 'Looking at these again after all these years brought back many fond memories. Special. How many of you remember the 'Only Vimal' era? Certainly a blast from the past.'
The Visual Archive
The post features Kabir Bedi dressed in the bold, stylised outfits characteristic of 1980s Indian fashion, alongside old newspaper clippings documenting his work and his association with the Only Vimal campaign. The images offer a rare window into the visual culture of that decade.
Bedi's Broader Career
Beyond his fashion associations, Kabir Bedi has built one of the most internationally recognised careers of any Indian actor of his generation. He starred in films including 'Khoon Bhari Maang' and 'Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story', and earned global recognition playing the lead role of Sandokan in the European television series of the same name. He also appeared in the James Bond film 'Octopussy', cementing his place in Hollywood history. His Instagram post, blending personal memory with cultural history, has resonated with fans who remember the Only Vimal era fondly.
Point of View
A playbook that the entire industry now takes for granted. That Bedi's archive surfaced by accident, in a moving box, underscores how much of India's visual and advertising history from that era remains uncatalogued. The post's resonance with audiences suggests an appetite for curated cultural memory that mainstream entertainment journalism rarely serves.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Only Vimal campaign that Kabir Bedi was part of?
Only Vimal was a premium clothing brand under Reliance that ran a high-profile advertising campaign in the 1980s featuring prominent film personalities. Kabir Bedi was one of the faces of the campaign, which is widely remembered as a landmark moment in Indian fashion marketing.
How did Kabir Bedi rediscover his Only Vimal posters?
Bedi's wife found the old posters and photographs while the couple was in the process of moving house. Bedi described the collection as 'a wonderful little archive of another time' and shared the images on Instagram.
What films and shows is Kabir Bedi known for?
Kabir Bedi is known for Hindi films such as 'Khoon Bhari Maang' and 'Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story', the European TV series 'Sandokan' in which he played the lead role, and the James Bond film 'Octopussy'.
Why does the Only Vimal era matter in Indian fashion history?
Only Vimal, backed by Reliance, was one of the first major Indian brands to use celebrity endorsements at scale, helping shift perceptions of domestic textiles and fashion in the pre-liberalisation era. Bedi's association with the brand placed him at the intersection of Bollywood and aspirational consumer culture.
