Manoj Bajpayee's co-star was abandoned at 20 days old by her father for being a girl. Today, she's a model turned actress.
Some stories don't begin with fairytales, they begin with survival. For actress and former Miss India Pooja Chopra , life started with a heartbreaking ultimatum. When she was just 20 days old, her father told her mother to choose between her newborn daughter and her home. Without hesitation, her mother walked away, leaving her marriage, her house in Kolkata, and all stability behind, to raise Pooja and her elder sister on her own terms.Growing up wasn't easy. Finances were tight, and her mother juggled double shifts while her sister woke up at dawn to sell newspapers. Yet, they never let Pooja stop dreaming. From elocution contests to theatre and eventually modelling, every tiny opportunity was a step forward. At 18, Pooja boldly told her mother she wanted to be Miss India, a dream that once seemed unreachable due to financial struggles. But luck, sheer grit, and kindness from trainers helped her power through.Her breakthrough moment came full circle when she won Miss India East 2009 in Kolkata, the very city her family had been forced to flee. It was a victory not just for her, but for her mother. That win catapulted her to Miss India 2009 and the global Miss World stage.Since then, Pooja has acted in films like Commando: A One Man Army and Heroine . She has also shared the screen with Sidharth Malhotra, Manoj Bajpayee and Rakul Preet Singh in Aiyaary . Apart from this, she has starred in Jahaan Chaar Yaar and the series Khakee: The Bengal Chapter. Despite fame, she remains deeply rooted, dedicating part of her earnings to empowering girls.'From being the girl her father didn't want to becoming a woman the world couldn't ignore', Pooja's story is a powerful testament to the legacy of a mother's love.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
7 hours ago
- Economic Times
Deepika Padukone's ex-boyfriend says '90s actress treated him 'heinously': 'She often called actors dogs'
Muzammil Ibrahim alleges mistreatment by Pooja Bhatt during his debut film 'Dhoka,' citing verbal abuse and a toxic environment. He claims Bhatt demeaned other actors and that Mahesh Bhatt, despite being supportive, couldn't prevent the emotional toll. Ibrahim also reveals a missed opportunity for a role in 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' due to biased casting agents. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Allegations of Abuse and Unfair Treatment A Fallout Rooted in Power Games Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Missed Opportunity in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Actor Muzammil Ibrahim has been on a tell-all spree recently. In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, he claimed that he was treated 'heinously' by actress Pooja Bhatt in his debut film, 'Dhoka'. He claimed that the environment on set was hostile and alleged that Pooja Bhatt, who was significantly older than him, treated him with blatant disrespect. At just 20 years old, stepping into the film industry with high hopes, he was instead met with what he described as emotionally scarring Mahesh Bhatt, the producer and creative head of the project, was reportedly encouraging and kind to Muzammil, he said that Pooja's attitude created a toxic atmosphere. According to Muzammil, she dismissed him as 'unprofessional' and allowed damaging rumors about him to spread in the press. The situation was made worse by what he described as a complete lack of empathy, considering his age and the fact that he was entering the world of cinema for the first didn't hold back when recounting his experience on the sets of Dhoka. He claimed that Pooja Bhatt was verbally aggressive and often used foul language, creating an unsettling work environment. He felt unsupported and humiliated, which eventually affected his mental health. The actor said that her behavior intensified when Mahesh Bhatt wasn't around. Although Pooja was credited as the director, Muzammil alleged that it was Mahesh Bhatt who actually called the creative shots, directing the scenes while Pooja mainly handled the music the unpleasant experience, Muzammil shared that Mahesh Bhatt later offered him roles in Raaz 2 and a film project that Soni Razdan, Mahesh's wife, intended to direct. However, he turned down both offers. The trauma from his debut left him deeply shaken—he said he couldn't bring himself to work with them again and even began experiencing nightmares due to the psychological toll it took on also shared troubling anecdotes about Pooja's attitude toward other actors. He recalled her allegedly demeaning comments about John Abraham and Dino Morea, claiming she treated them as though they were beneath her.'Pooja has told actors in the past that they are like dogs, when I tell them to sit, they should sit, if I tell them to stand they should stand. She would say this about John and Dino. Someone who has this kind of attitude about their actors, imagine what kind of a person they would be," he controlling, dismissive attitude made him question her approach to filmmaking and actor relations. Although he wanted to stand up for himself, Muzammil admitted that he feared retaliation. He believed that the influential Bhatt family had the power to manipulate media narratives and damage his Dhoka, Muzammil discussed another heartbreak in his career—the role of Avi in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, which eventually went to Aditya Roy Kapur. Muzammil said that Ayan Mukerji, the film's director, originally envisioned him for the role. He also claimed he had even recommended Deepika Padukone's name for the project, emphasizing that their personal history had no bearing on his he said things changed when casting agents got involved. According to Muzammil, they miscommunicated and acted with bias, causing a rift between him and Ayan. Despite Ayan's supposed intention to give him the script, it never reached him. Muzammil alleged that the casting agents had their own agendas and played favorites, ultimately blocking his chance to be part of what became a revelations highlight the struggles many newcomers face in the film industry—especially when caught between internal politics and the weight of powerful personalities.
India.com
7 hours ago
- India.com
Aishwarya Rai was set to make her Bollywood debut with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Raja Hindustani, rejected it due too.., her first film then flopped, name was…
Before becoming a huge phenomenon and achieving massive stardom, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made headlines for reasons beyond the silver screen. While many aspiring stars chase any chance to break into Bollywood, she took an unusual path, turning down major film offers even before her official debut. However, she later made her debut with the film that became a box office bomb. When Aishwarya Rejected Blockbusters Before Her Debut Aishwarya Rai Bachchan appeared in front of the camera for the first time while she was in Class IX. She featured in a commercial for Camlin pencils. In 1994, she won Miss India and claimed that she had previously been offered four films, all of which she declined. During an interview with Vogue, the actress mentioned that she was offered films like Raja Hindustani and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai , but she declined them. The actress said, 'I'm often cited as the person who established the beauty pageant-to-films route, but that was not the case with me. I had at least four film offers. I decided to participate in Miss India to step back from the film industry for a bit. If I hadn't taken part in Miss India , Raja Hindustani would have been my first film.' She also stated that she rejected Kuch Kuch Hota because she disliked Tina's character, who had straight hair and wore tiny dresses, and believed that viewers would mock her character in the film. Her debut was established with the 1997 film Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya , alongside Bobby Deol , which became box office disaster. Later on, she gained a large following for her impeccable on-screen talent and capability in films such as Taal, Josh, Jeans, Mohabbatein, Devdas , and many others. More about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan In 2007, Aishwarya tied the knot with Amitabh Bachchan's son, actor Abhishek Bachchan and in 2011 she gave birth to her first child Aaradhya Rai Bachchan . The actress last appeared on the big screen in the Tamil film Ponniyin Selvan: II , which came out in 2023. It was the sequel to the 2022 film Ponniyin Selvan: I , which was helmed by Mani Ratnam .
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Deepika Padukone's ex-boyfriend says '90s actress treated him 'heinously': 'She often called actors dogs'
Actor Muzammil Ibrahim has been on a tell-all spree recently. In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, he claimed that he was treated 'heinously' by actress Pooja Bhatt in his debut film, 'Dhoka'. He claimed that the environment on set was hostile and alleged that Pooja Bhatt, who was significantly older than him, treated him with blatant disrespect. At just 20 years old, stepping into the film industry with high hopes, he was instead met with what he described as emotionally scarring behaviour. While Mahesh Bhatt, the producer and creative head of the project, was reportedly encouraging and kind to Muzammil, he said that Pooja's attitude created a toxic atmosphere. According to Muzammil, she dismissed him as 'unprofessional' and allowed damaging rumors about him to spread in the press. The situation was made worse by what he described as a complete lack of empathy, considering his age and the fact that he was entering the world of cinema for the first time. Allegations of Abuse and Unfair Treatment Muzammil didn't hold back when recounting his experience on the sets of Dhoka. He claimed that Pooja Bhatt was verbally aggressive and often used foul language, creating an unsettling work environment. He felt unsupported and humiliated, which eventually affected his mental health. The actor said that her behavior intensified when Mahesh Bhatt wasn't around. Although Pooja was credited as the director, Muzammil alleged that it was Mahesh Bhatt who actually called the creative shots, directing the scenes while Pooja mainly handled the music sequences. Despite the unpleasant experience, Muzammil shared that Mahesh Bhatt later offered him roles in Raaz 2 and a film project that Soni Razdan, Mahesh's wife, intended to direct. However, he turned down both offers. The trauma from his debut left him deeply shaken—he said he couldn't bring himself to work with them again and even began experiencing nightmares due to the psychological toll it took on him. A Fallout Rooted in Power Games Muzammil also shared troubling anecdotes about Pooja's attitude toward other actors. He recalled her allegedly demeaning comments about John Abraham and Dino Morea, claiming she treated them as though they were beneath her. 'Pooja has told actors in the past that they are like dogs, when I tell them to sit, they should sit, if I tell them to stand they should stand. She would say this about John and Dino. Someone who has this kind of attitude about their actors, imagine what kind of a person they would be," he said. This controlling, dismissive attitude made him question her approach to filmmaking and actor relations. Although he wanted to stand up for himself, Muzammil admitted that he feared retaliation. He believed that the influential Bhatt family had the power to manipulate media narratives and damage his career. Missed Opportunity in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Beyond Dhoka, Muzammil discussed another heartbreak in his career—the role of Avi in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani , which eventually went to Aditya Roy Kapur. Muzammil said that Ayan Mukerji, the film's director, originally envisioned him for the role. He also claimed he had even recommended Deepika Padukone's name for the project, emphasizing that their personal history had no bearing on his casting. However, he said things changed when casting agents got involved. According to Muzammil, they miscommunicated and acted with bias, causing a rift between him and Ayan. Despite Ayan's supposed intention to give him the script, it never reached him. Muzammil alleged that the casting agents had their own agendas and played favorites, ultimately blocking his chance to be part of what became a blockbuster. Muzammil's revelations highlight the struggles many newcomers face in the film industry—especially when caught between internal politics and the weight of powerful personalities.
