Listening to talkback radio while being driven to school in Fiji by her dad, Pooja Kumar was always mesmerised by the "nice, deep voice" talking about soccer. While she never would have guessed she would eventually meet, marry and work with radio host Vijay Varma, she also couldn't have imagined the rollercoaster they would face while defying common cultural expectations to build the life they love today.
It has been a journey tinged with heartache, tears, drama, divorce, and a miscarriage, but as the Fijian-born Humm 104.2 FM hosts pose for Woman's Day with their beautiful blended family in Auckland, it's clear their love conquers all.
"In the beginning, I was crying constantly, wondering, 'When will things turn around?" reflects Pooja. "But now everything's so dreamy. We might not have a traditional nuclear family, but things are good and our daughter's the cherry on the cake. She helped us heal."
Adorable Vihaana, two, is the star of the show at the photo shoot, but it's Vijay, 47, and Pooja, 31, who have become stars of Hindi radio while hosting The Breakfast Show With Vijay And Pooja. Having stumbled into broadcasting with a copywriting gig, Vijay was hosting the breakfast show in Fiji when Pooja landed the graveyard shift at a sister station. The two had little in common and Vijay was married with four kids (Saahil, 23, Sohail, 20, Vishakha, 18, and Krishn, 12). However, they became friends and Pooja confided in Vijay when her office crush broke her heart.
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