Pooja Bedi

2022-06-19T18:53:32Z

2405:204:110D:FD23:574F:52DA:ACBE:41E2:

{{Short description|Indian actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pooja Bedi
| image = Pooja Bedi grace the launch of Farah Khan Ali’s book 'A Bejewelled Life'.jpg
| alt =
| image_size =
| caption = Bedi in 2019
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1970|5|11}}<ref name="times">{{cite news |last=Sawhney |first=Anubha |title=Pooja Bedi: The siege within |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi-times/Pooja-Bedi-The-siege-within/articleshow/479019467.cms |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=20 September 2011 |date=1 June 2003}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actress, television presenter, relationship columnist
| yearsactive = 1991–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Farhan Ebrahim Furniturewala|1994|2003|reason=divorced}}
| children = [[Alaya F]]
| father = [[Kabir Bedi]]
| mother = [[Protima Bedi]]
}}

'''Pooja Bedi''' (born 11 May 1970) is an Indian actress, television talk show host and newspaper columnist. She is the daughter of Indian actors [[Kabir Bedi]] and [[Protima Bedi]]. She participated in the reality television shows ''[[Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa]]'', ''[[Nach Baliye]]'', ''[[Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi]]'' and ''[[Bigg Boss]]''.

==Life and career==
===Early life and career beginnings (1970–2006)===
Pooja Bedi was born in [[Mumbai|Bombay]] (present-day Mumbai) to the late Indian classical dancer [[Protima Bedi|Protima]] and film star [[Kabir Bedi]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/pooja-bedi-i-have-really-liked-all-my-fathers-girlfriends-and-wives-including-parveen-babi/articleshow/82547166.cms |title=Pooja Bedi: I have really liked all my father's girlfriends, and wives, including Parveen Babi - Times of India |website=The Times of India}}</ref> She was brought up in what she calls a bohemian progressive artistic environment.<ref name="times"/>

From 1991 to 1995, Bedi worked in Bollywood films and appeared in many commercials and campaigns. She is remembered for the [[KamaSutra condoms|KamaSutra condom]] campaign which she endorsed and used as a vehicle to raise awareness of [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://theprint.in/features/brandma/the-kamasutra-ad-that-changed-the-role-of-condoms-in-india-from-functional-to-pleasurable/365611/ |title=The KamaSutra ad that changed the role of condoms in India from functional to pleasurable |first=Shubhangi |last=Misra |date=16 February 2020}}</ref>

She made her film debut with [[Jag Mundhra]]'s film [[Vishkanya (1991)|''Vishkanya'' (1991)]]. 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.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} Her other films include ''[[Lootere]]'' (1993)<ref>{{Citation |title=Lootere Movie: Showtimes, Review, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos {{!}} eTimes |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/lootere/movieshow/61330799.cms |access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> and ''[[Aatank Hi Aatank]]'' (1995).{{Cn|date=November 2021}}

===Breakthrough role and debut in reality shows (2006–2011)===
In 2000, she compiled and edited ''Timepass'', the memoirs of her mother Protima Bedi.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} 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''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 September 2011 |title=Actress and columnist Pooja Bedi's barefoot moment! |url=https://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/glamtalk/actress-and-columnist-pooja-bedi-s-barefoot-moment_97242.html |access-date=9 March 2021 |website=Zee News |language=en}}</ref>

In 2005, Bedi along with Hanif Hilal participated in ''[[Nach Baliye]]''. In 2006, Bedi participated in ''[[Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa]]'' in its first season followed by ''[[Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi]]''. In 2011, Bedi was a celebrity contestant in the [[Bigg Boss (Hindi season 5)|fifth season]] of the Indian version of the [[reality TV]] show ''[[Big Brother (TV series)|Big Brother]]'', ''[[Bigg Boss (Hindi TV series)|Bigg Boss]]''.<ref name="BB5">{{cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/one-beast-13-beauties-in-bigg-boss-5/story-ugYpcWswrhaIFA61nCRvzJ.html |title=Bigg Boss 5: Juhi Parmar to Shakti Kapoor, here's the final list of contestants |date=2 October 2011}}</ref> She was evicted after surviving for 8 weeks in the house, which was Day 56 (27 November).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tellychakkar.com/tv/tv-news/pooja-bedi-evicted-bigg-boss-5-house |title=Pooja Bedi evicted from Bigg Boss 5 house |date=26 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-tv-interview-with-shraddha-sharma/20111205.htm |title=Sky is the most fake person in Bigg Boss |date=5 December 2011}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Pooja Bedi and Alaia Furniturewalla grace the launch of Farah Khan Ali’s book 'A Bejewelled Life'.jpg|right|thumb|Pooja Bedi and Alaia Furniturewalla at the launch of 'A Bejewelled Life'.]]
Bedi married Farhan Furniturewala a [[Gujarati Muslim]] of [[Parsi]] and [[Khoja]] descent, whom she met in 1990. They were married 6 May 1994 and Bedi converted to Islam upon marriage taking up the name Noorjahan.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/delhi-times/pooja-bedi-the-siege-within/articleshow/479019467.cms | title=Pooja Bedi: The siege within | undefined News - Times of India | website=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bollywoodshaadis.com/articles/fell-in-love-with-5-different-men-yet-pooja-bedi-is-single-and-rocking-at-the-age-of-47-7391 | title=Fell in Love with 5 Different Men, Yet Pooja Bedi is Single and Rocking at the Age of 47 | date=19 February 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thelivemirror.com/pooja-bedi-quit-acting-ex-husband-farhan-furniturewalla-family/ | title=Pooja Bedi REVEALS quitting acting for ex-husband Farhan Furniturewalla's family | date=4 June 2021 }}</ref>
They have two children, a daughter [[Alaya Furniturewala]] born in 1997 and son Omar Furniturewala, born in 2000. Bedi and Farhan divorced in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramasubramanian |first=Uma |date=24 February 2019 |title=My kids wanted me to settle down for many years now, says Pooja Bedi |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/240219/my-kids-wanted-me-to-settle-down-for-many-years-now-says-pooja-bedi.html |access-date=16 May 2021 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en}}</ref>

In February 2019, Bedi got engaged to a [[Parsi]] named Maneck Contractor.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Pooja Bedi engaged to boyfriend Maneck Contractor: He proposed to me in a hot air balloon |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/celebrity/story/pooja-bedi-engaged-to-boyfriend-maneck-contractor-he-proposed-to-me-in-a-hot-air-balloon-1462346-2019-02-22 |url-status=live |access-date=9 January 2022 |work=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

During the [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]] in May 2020, she traveled from Mumbai which was a red zone under quarantine to Contractor's holiday residence in [[Goa]] (then a green zone, but soon also turned red due to infected persons flooding into Goa from COVID-19 hotspots in other states of India), and created a ruckus on social media by criticising the quarantine facilities at the state. She also caused an outrage among the native [[Goan]]s, by falsely claiming that she and Contractor are also Goans.<ref>{{cite news |title=Goans Worried As Rich Flee From Covid Hotspots To 'Second Homes' In State |url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/goa-coronavirus-rich-people-second-homes_in_5ed471f9c5b69cedf90e2718 |work=[[Huffington Post]] |date=31 May 2020 |first=Pamela |last=D'Mello}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Director
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Vishkanya (film)|Vishkanya]]''
| Lead role
| [[Jag Mundhra]]
|-
| rowspan = '1' | 1992
| ''[[Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar]]''
| rowspan = '4' | Supporting role
| [[Mansoor Khan]]
|-
| rowspan = '3' | 1993
| ''[[Lootere]]''
| [[Dharmesh Darshan]]
|-
| ''[[Chittemma Mogudu]]''
| Co-starring Mohan Babu
|-
| ''[[Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee]]''
| [[Mahesh Bhatt]]
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Aatank Hi Aatank]]''
| Guest
| Dilip Shankar
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Shakti (2011 film)|Shakti]]''
| Faqtooni
| [[Meher Ramesh]]
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Comedy Couple (film)|Comedy Couple]]''
| Zohra
| Nachiket Samant
|}

==Television==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year
! Show
! Role
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa#Season 1|Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 1]]''
| rowspan="2" | Contestant
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Nach Baliye#Season 3|Nach Baliye 3]]''
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2008
| ''[[Bigg Boss (Hindi season 2)|Bigg Boss 2]]''
| Host
|-
| ''[[Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi#Season 1|Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 1]]''
| rowspan="3" | Contestant
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| ''[[Maa Exchange]]''
|-
| ''[[Bigg Boss (Hindi season 5)|Bigg Boss 5]]''
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Masaba Masaba]]''
| Geeta Chopra
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official}}
* {{Bollywood Hungama person|pooja-bedi}}
* {{IMDb name|0066070}}
* [https://penguin.co.in/book_author/pooja-bedi/ Pooja Bedi] at [[Penguin India]]

{{Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa}}
{{Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi}}
{{Bigg Boss 5}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedi, Pooja}}
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Indian women television presenters]]
[[Category:Indian television presenters]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam from Sikhism]]
[[Category:Female models from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian television actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Lawrence School, Sanawar alumni]]
[[Category:Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi participants]]
[[Category:Bigg Boss (Hindi TV series) contestants]]
[[Category:Indian people of English descent]]

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Pooja Bedi