Pooja Bedi is an Indian actress, columnist and television host. She became famous in the 1990s for her supporting role in Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar (1992). She is famous for her bold images in the Indian film industry. She also came to attention for her participation in reality shows like Fear Factor: Khatro Ke Khiladi in 2008 and Big Boss.
Wiki/Biography
Pooja Bedi was born on Monday, May 11, 1970 in Mumbai (now Mumbai) (age 53; as of 2023). She received her elementary education at Besant Montessori School. Thereafter, she was sent to Lawrence School in Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′6″
Weight (approximately): 60kg
Hair color: dark brown
Eye color: brown
family
Parents and siblings
Pooja is the daughter of Protima Gauri Bedi (1948-1998) and Kabir Bedi. Her mother is an Indian model and famous Odissi dancer. Her father is a famous Indian actor and model. She also has a younger brother named Siddharth Bedi. He was only 25 years old when he committed suicide on July 19, 1997.
Pooja Bedi as a child with her parents and brother Siddharth Bedi
husband and children
Pooja Bedi met Farhan Furniturewala in 1990. They dated for three years and married on May 6, 1994. In order to marry him, she converted to Islam. However, their marriage failed to withstand the test of time and they divorced on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2003. Their first child is daughter Alaya Ebrahim Furniturewala, born on November 28, 1997.
Pooja Bedi with ex-husband Farhan Furniturewala and daughter
Their second child was son Omar Furniturewala, born in 2000. However, their relationship remains warm and they revealed they have no hard feelings towards each other. In 2007, she talked about this in an interview and said:
My children Aalia and Umer are the center of my existence and they know it. I have a good relationship with their father (Farhan Furniturewala). There is no hatred whatsoever. This keeps my kids emotionally stable. The four of us went out to lunch together and even went on vacation together. ”
Pooja Bedi with daughter Alaya and son Omar
Relationships/Affairs
Pooja Bedi had relationships with five men. The first one is Aditya Pancholi, who is already a married man. They used to spend most of their time at Pooja’s house and their affair ended when Pooja’s maid revealed that Aditya had sex with her. The actor promised Pooja’s 15-year-old maid that he would give her a film role and after the news came to light, Pooja ended her relationship with him. Pancholi met Pooja at a party in 2013 and they were seen talking. After this meeting, Pancholi talked about Pooja and said:
It’s been a long time since she made the accusation. I never said anything or held any grudge against her. Last week, we met face to face at a party. She hugged me and that was it. All bitterness is forgotten… We all grow up and hopefully become wiser. She has children and so do I. Have a lot in common. At this stage of our lives we cannot afford to lose old friends. ”
Pooja Bedi and Aditya Pancholi at an event in 2013
Secondly, she dated Farhan Furniturewala for three and a half years and got married on May 6, 1994. Her third boyfriend is Hanif Hilal, whom she met in 2006 while shooting for Jhalak Dikhlaja. Hanif has been assigned as the choreographer for Pooja’s show. The two danced together on the show and eventually fell in love.
Pooja Bedi and boyfriend Hanif Hilal
However, they dated for over a year and eventually separated in 2008. The fourth man she dated was Dwiti, who was from Orissa and worked for the United Nations Development Programme. Pooja made him a part of her family life and in 2010, he and her children celebrated Pooja’s 40th birthday in Goa. The two were supposed to get engaged, but Dwiti’s family disagreed. He comes from a conservative family and his parents did not agree with Pooja becoming their daughter-in-law. Afterwards, their 18-month relationship ended.
Pooja Bedi and Dwiti Vikramaditya
Her next relationship was with Akashdeep Saigal, whom she met while they were co-participants in Big Boss 5. Their relationship continued even after the show ended, with Sehgal getting Pooja’s name tattooed on his bicep. However, their relationship ended in 2013 while he remained Pooja’s good friend. He was also a guest at Pooja’s 47th birthday party, where he showed off her name tattoo.
Pooja Bedi and Akashdeep Saigal in Big Boss house season 5 stills
She later fell in love with Maneck Contractor and got engaged to him in February 2019.
Pooja Bedi talks engagement with Manech Contractor
Religion/Religious Views
Pooja converted to Islam in 1994 after marrying Farhan Furniturewala and changing her name to Noorjahan. However, she has never changed her stage or screen name and says she is a mixture of all religions.
Profession
Pooja Bedi started her career in Bollywood in 1991 and starred in her first film Vishkanya. Her second film was Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992), in which she had a supporting role and was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1993.
In her third film Lootere, she appeared in a supporting role alongside Sunny Deol and Juhi Chawla. Her next film is Aatank Hi Aatank, starring her alongside Aamir Khan, Juhi Chalwa and superstar Rajinikanth. The film was released in 1995. From 1991 to 1995, she also participated in various advertising and media campaigns. She also received media attention for her bold campaign for Kama Sutra condoms, in which she raised awareness about AIDS. In her later years, she began working as a columnist in various media outlets, and has had a column for the Times of India since 2009.
television
She made her television debut in 2006 as a contestant on the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. In 2007, she appeared as a contestant in Nach Baliye 3 along with her boyfriend Hanif Hilal. Next, she served as show host in Big Boss 2 in 2008. In the same year, she also appeared as a contestant in Fear Factor: Khatro Ke Khiladi. In 2011, she participated in the Indian reality TV show Maa Exchange with her daughter. That same year, she also appeared as a contestant on Big Boss and survived in the home for eight weeks before being evicted. In 2020, she also played Geeta Chopra in “Masaba Masaba”.
dispute
- In 1991, she appeared in a bold ad for Condon, which was criticized for its nudity and banned by Durdarshan. However, the ad later appeared on cable TV.
- In 2012, there were rumors that Pooja was about to send a legal notice to Colors demanding her removal from the Big Boss season 5 finale. The same year, she was in the news again for tweeting about Salman Khan’s abuse of her. Boyfriend Akashdeep is on the show.
Favorites
- Food: Steamed ginger fish, mutton and ghee grilled garlic prawns.
Facts/Trivia
- She studied in a boarding school in Himachal Pradesh.
- Pooja’s mother did not want her to work in films but wanted her to do something more intellectually challenging.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education