Pooja Bedi is an Indian actress, columnist and TV show host. He rose to fame in the 90s for playing a supporting role in Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar (1992). He is known for his bold persona in the Indian film industry. She also got traction in reality TV shows like Fear Factor: Khatro Ke Khiladi and Big Boss in 2008.
Wiki/Biography
Pooja Bedi was born on Monday, 11 May 1970 (age 53; in 2023) in Bombay (now Mumbai). She went to Besant Montessori School for her primary education. After this, he was sent to Lawrence School, Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 6″
Weight (approx): 60 kg
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Pooja is the daughter of Protima Gauri Bedi (1948-1998) and Kabir Bedi. Her mother is an Indian model and a famous Odissi dancer. Her father is a famous Indian actor and model. He also has a younger brother named Siddharth Bedi. He was 25 years old when he committed suicide on July 19, 1997.
Pooja Bedi as a child with her parents and her brother Siddharth Bedi
Husband & Son
Pooja Bedi met Farhan Furniturewala in 1990. They dated for three years and got married on 6 May 1994. For marrying him, she converted to Islam. However, their marriage could not stand the test of time, and they divorced on February 14, 2003, on Valentine’s Day. Their first child was their daughter Alaya Ebrahim Furniturewala who was born on 28 November 1997.
Pooja Bedi with ex-husband Farhan Furniturewala and daughter
Their second child is their son Omar Furniturewala who was born in 2000. However, they still share a cordial relationship and reveal that they have no hard feelings towards each other. In 2007, he talked about it in an interview and said,
My children Aalia and Umer are the center of my existence and they know it. I share a wonderful relationship with their father (Farhan Furniturewala). No hostility. This makes my children’s emotions stable. The four of us went out for lunch and even went on holiday together.’
Pooja Bedi with her daughter Alaya and son Omar
Relationships/Affairs
Pooja Bedi has been in relationships with five men. The first is Aditya Pancholi, who is already married. They used to spend most of their time at Pooja’s house, and their love affair ended when Pooja’s maid revealed that Aditya was having a sexual relationship with her. The actor promised Pooja’s 15-year-old maid that he would get her a role in a film, and after this revelation, Pooja broke up with him. Pancholi met Pooja in 2013 at a party, and they were seen talking to each other. After this meeting, Pancholi talks about Pooja and says,
So much time had passed since he made that accusation. I never said anything, never held a grudge against him. Last week, we ran into each other at a party. He hugged me, and that was it. All bitterness has been forgotten…. We are both grown up and hopefully wiser. He has kids, so do I. There are many similarities. At this stage of our lives we cannot afford to lose old friends.’
Pooja Bedi and Aditya Pancholi at an event in 2013
Second, she dated Farhan Furniturewala for three and a half years and got married on 6 May 1994. Her third boyfriend was Hanif Hilal, whom she met during the filming of Jhalak Dikhlaja in 2006. Hanif was assigned to choreograph Pooja’s dance for the show. They both dance together on the show and end up falling in love.
Pooja Bedi with boyfriend Hanif Hilal
However, they dated for over a year and finally broke up in 2008. The fourth man she dated was Dwiti, who hails from Orissa and works for the United Nations Development Programme. Pooja made him a part of her family life, and he went on to celebrate Pooja’s 40th birthday with her children in Goa in 2010. The two were supposed to get engaged, but Dwiti’s family disapproved. She is from a conservative family, and her parents did not approve of Pooja becoming their daughter-in-law. After this, their 18-month relationship ended.
Pooja Bedi with Dwiti Vikramaditya
Her next love affair was with Akashdeep Saigal, whom she met as a co-contestant in Big Boss 5. Their relationship continued even after the show, and Saigal tattooed Pooja’s name on his bicep. However, their relationship ended in 2013, and he remains Pooja’s best friend. He was also a party guest on Pooja’s 47th birthday and flaunted his name tattoo in the party.
Pooja Bedi and Akashdeep Saigal in a still from the Big Boss house, season 5
Later, she started a relationship with Contractor Maneck, and in February 2019, she got engaged to him.
Pooja Bedi with Manech Contractors at their engagement
Religion/Religious Views
In 1994, Pooja converted to Islam when she married Farhan Furniturewala and took the name Noorjahan. However, she has never changed her stage or screen name and says that she is a mix of all religions.
Career
Pooja Bedi started her Bollywood career in 1991 with her first film Vishkanya in which she played the lead role. His second film was Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992), in which he was in a supporting role and was also nominated for best supporting actor in the Filmfare awards in 1993.
Her third release was Lootere, in which she starred in a supporting role with Sunny Deol and Juhi Chawla. Her next film was Aatank Hi Aatank, in which she starred alongside Amir Khan, Juhi Chalwa, and superstar Rajinikanth; this film was released in 1995. From 1991 to 1995, he also worked in various advertisements and media campaigns. He was also featured in the media for filming a bold commercial for KamaSutra condoms in which he raised awareness about AIDS. In later years, he started working as a columnist for various media houses and ran a column for The Times of India since 2009.
TV
In 2006, she made her TV debut by participating in the dance reality show, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa as a contestant on the show. In 2007, she appeared in Nach Baliye 3 as a contestant with her boyfriend Hanif Hilal. Next, he appeared in Big Boss 2 as the host of the show in 2008. In the same year, he also appeared in Fear Factor: Khatro Ke Khiladi as a contestant. In 2011, she participated as a contestant in Tv India’s reality show Maa Exchange with her daughter. In the same year, she also appeared in Bigg Boss as a contestant and was evicted after staying in the house for 8 weeks. In 2020, she also played the role of Geeta Chopra in Masaba Masaba.
Controversy
- In 1991, she appeared in a daring Condon ad that was criticized for its nudity and was banned from Doordarshan. However, later these commercials made their way to cable TV.
- In 2012, there were rumors that Pooja would send a legal notice to Colors for evicting her from the finale of Bigg Boss Season 5. The same year, she was back in the news for tweeting about Salman Khan that he molested her boyfriend Akashdeep on the show.
Favourite
- Food: Steamed ginger fish and ghee grilled lamb grilled garlic prawns.
Facts/Trivia
- He studied in a boarding school in Himachal Pradesh.
- Pooja’s mother doesn’t want her to work in films instead, she wants her to be involved in something more intellectually challenging.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
