Actor Pooja Bedi, who rose to overnight fame with Jag Mundhra’s Vishkanya (1991) and the iconic Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992), had once been celebrated as India’s very own Marilyn Monroe. But at the height of her popularity, she decided to step away from Bollywood—a choice she recently revisited in a candid conversation.
Appearing on Dr Sheen Gurrib’s podcast, Pooja opened up about her childhood, her multiple career journeys, and her life as a wife and mother. When asked why she quit films so early, she explained that her marriage into a deeply conservative Muslim family played a major role.
“In my effort to give everything my 100 percent, I was getting married. My ex-husband Farhan came from a very conservative Muslim family, and there was no way the bahu of that family could continue being a glamorous actress,” she recalled. According to her, both families were already reluctant about the marriage, and she did not want to escalate tensions by continuing a career that clashed with those expectations. So, she stepped back from Bollywood and chose a different path.
Despite overcoming many challenges together and raising two children, Pooja and Farhan parted ways in 2003 after nine years of marriage. The separation coincided with what Pooja describes as the darkest phase of her life.
She shared that between the ages of 27 and 32, she endured a series of devastating personal losses. “My grandmother died of cancer, my dog passed away, the man who raised me since I was six months old died, my mother lost her life in a landslide, and my brother committed suicide,” she said. “In the middle of all that, my marriage ended. I was left with no alimony and two young children. At 32, I was absolutely terrified.”
Pooja described how every few months, another emotional blow struck, leading her to look up at the sky and plead for a break from life’s relentless hardships. But despite the turmoil, she gradually rebuilt her life—starting with writing newspaper columns. “One thing led to another, and within a year, I was driving the same Mercedes as my husband,” she said.
Despite helping her ex-husband establish his business, she walked away without seeking financial compensation. “There was no anger or malice. I could have stayed or fought for my share, but I didn’t want to. It was simply time to move forward—and I did.”