Pooja Bedi

Pooja Bedi

Pooja Bedi at the Fizaa store launch (2012)
Born Pooja Bedi
11 May 1970[1]
Mumbai, India
Occupation Actress, television presenter, relationship columnist
Spouse(s) Farhan Furniturewalla (1994–2003; divorced)
Children 2

Pooja Bedi (born 11 May 1970) is a former Bollywood actress, television talk show host. She is the daughter of actor Kabir Bedi and the late Protima Bedi.

Biography

Pooja Bedi was born in Mumbai to the late Indian classical dancer Protima and film star Kabir Bedi. She was brought up in what she calls a bohemian progressive artistic environment.[1] She received her basic education at Besant Montessori in Mumbai and then at Lawrence School, Sanawar . She was a class topper academically and was in the basketball team, hockey team, swimming team, debating team, and theatre group. Bedi married Guetta Ebrahim Furniturewalla whom she met in 1990.[1] She has two children, a daughter Aalia Furniturewalla born in 1997 and son Omar Ebrahim, born in 2000. Bedi and Farhan divorced in 2003. She recently broke up with TV actor Akashdeep Saigal.

Career

From 1991 to 1994, Bedi worked in Bollywood films, has appeared in many commercials and campaigns. She is remembered for the Kama Sutra condom campaign which she endorsed and used as a vehicle to raise awareness of AIDS.

She appeared in plays such as Carry On Papa, Wow What a Girl and A Bengali Jatra.

She made her film debut with Jag Mundhra's 1991 film Vishkanya. She went on to act in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992) with Aamir Khan for which she earned a nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1993. Her other films include Lootere (1993) and Aatank Hi Aatank (1995).

In 2000, she complied and edited Timepass, the memoirs of her mother Protima Bedi. She has been a columnist with the Times of India, the Hindustan Times, and MiD DAY newspapers, and has written articles for numerous publications, including L'officiel, Femina and The Week. In 2000 she had a public tiff with Amitabh Bachchan.[2]

She has hosted celebrity talk shows since 2004, one of which, formerly titled Not just Page 3 was later known as Just Pooja. It was broadcast on zOOm. This show went on to win multiple awards.

In 2007, she participated in Jhalak Dikhlaja on Sony Entertainment Television and has since taken up Latin American ballroom dancing. She later performed with her choreographer/partner Hanif Hilal at events and functions all across the globe. She took part in Nach Baliye (Season 3) on Star Plus and Khatron Ke Khiladi on Colors channel. She hosted the Saturday special episode of Bigg Boss season 2 where she interviewed the evicted contestants.

In 2010, she participated in Maa Exchange, the Indian version of "Wife Swap" on Sony Entertainment Television.

She has been a brand ambassador for Kaya Skin Clinic, Allergan India and the Country Club (CCIL India). She is currently a relationship counsellor with her column "Heart Chakra" in the Times of India, and also with her column in Femina, an Indian women's magazine. She also writes a monthly column for the magazine Men's Health.

In 2011, she acted in Shakti starring NTR. Jr.

Other work

Bedi is the Chairperson of the charitable organisation The Grassroots Foundation. The foundation's objectives and activities include poverty housing, livelihood skills programs, education, farming reforms and water harvesting.

List of works

Film

Film Title Role Director
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar Supporting Actress Mansoor Khan
Lootere Supporting Actress Dharmesh Darshan
Vishkanya Lead Actress Jagmohan Mundhra
Aatank Hi Aatank Guest Appearance Dilip Shankar
Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee Supporting Actress Mahesh Bhatt
Chittamma Mogudu (Telugu) Supporting Actress Co-starring Mohan Babu
Shakti (Telugu) Supporting Actress Meher Ramesh

Television

Show Role Channel
Not Just Page 3 Anchor Zoom TV
Just Pooja Anchor Zoom TV
Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Celebrity contestant Sony TV
Heartbeat Celebrity contestant Star TV
Mum Tum Aur Hum Celebrity contestant (won) Star TV
Jodi Kamaal Ki Celebrity contestant (won) Star TV
Nach Baliye Celebrity contestant Star TV
Bigg Boss – Aakhiri Salam Host Colors
Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi Celebrity contestant Colors
Maa Exchange Celebrity contestant Sony TV
Big Boss 5 Celebrity contestant Colors

Commercials

Title Role Company
KamaSutra condoms Model JK industries
Frooti (drink) Model Parle industries
Tips and Toes Model

Theater

Play Role Director
Wow What a Girl Lead role Akhil Mishra
Carry On Papa Lead actress Dinyar contractor/Shirish Patel
Adalate Nirobh Sakshi (Bengali Jatra) Lead role

Modeling

Product Role Designer
Nisha Jamwal couture Celebrity model Nisha Jamwal
Allergan Brand Ambassador Allergan India
Country Club India Brand Ambassador Allergan India
KamaSutra condoms Model JK industries
Tacfab Model Tacfab
Kaya Skin Clinic Model Marico industries

Informercial

Cause Role Source
Poverty housing Celebrity support Habitat for Humanity
HIV/AIDS music video Celebrity support Candywalk (levis strauss foundation)
Haath se Haath Milaa (HIV/AIDS awareness) Celebrity support BBC world service trust

Hosting

Product Role Comments
Narayan Infinity Compère Launch of township
Casa Estebana Compère Launch of luxurious villas
Swatch Host: Who wants to be a swatchonnaire
Ernst and Young
ICI dulux paints Host and performer
Laadli media awards Host
Gant Clothing Host and guest list
Teachers awards 2006 Host
Teachers awards 2007 Host
Teachers awards 2009 Host
Indo American chamber of Commerce Compère Ashley Judd AIDS/HIV Awareness event

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sawhney, Anubha (1 June 2003). "Pooja Bedi: The siege within". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  2. Vivek Fernandes; Priyanka Bhattacharya (17 May 2000). "'Why is the man such a grump?'". Rediff.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pooja Bedi.