Pooja Batra won the Femina Miss India International in 1993. And life was never the same again. Glamour became her forte and the beauty pageant winner went on to star in big movies like Virasat, Haseena Maan Jayegi, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya and Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye. Just when you thought, she’d scale greater heights, she left it to lead a married life in America. She and her first husband separated after eight years of marriage. She however remained in the US, doing roles in American serials like Lethal Weapon, Timeless, S.W.A.T., The Rookie and many more. She met Nawab Shah in 2019 and after five months of courtship, the duo got married in July 2019. Pooja made a comeback of sorts in Bollywood in the action film Squad. She talks to Filmfare about her years in America, the difference between Hollywood and Bollywood and how she has found fulfilment with her new husband…
You’ve made a splash with Squad? How did that happen?
My character Nandini Rajput in the movie Squad was specially written keeping me in mind. I always wanted to be part of Nilesh Sahay’s first project. He’s such a dear friend of mine… almost like a younger brother. So, when he offered me the film, I was delighted and excited to come on board. It was great fun filming. I got the chance to shoot with Rinsing Denzongpa and Malvika Raaj - two incredible professionals dedicated to their craft. Of course, amidst all this fun and excitement the pandemic happened and there were a lot of aspects we could no longer control. But on the whole, it was a great experience coming back to India, being on set again, and shooting with exceptional actors like Mohan Kapoor and Amit Gaur.
How did you cope with COVID-19 and the lockdown?
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Breaking free
NIKKHIL ADVANI'S MAKING WAVES WITH HIS OTT DEBUT, FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT. HE TALKS ABOUT ITS GENESIS, HIS ASSOCIATION WITH KARAN JOHAR, AND WHAT'S REAL STARDOM WITH SRIJITA SEN
DECK THE HALLS
Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson join Tanzim Pardiwalla over a video call about their forthcoming Christmas film, Red One, possible Bollywood crossovers and their love for India
Class Act
NEHA DHUPIA SHARES THE SECRET OF JUGGLING MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER WHILE STAYING RELEVANT WITH FARHANA FAROOK
Deep end of the Ocean
Cancer survivor Mahima Chaudhary tells Farhana Farook that playing a similar person in The Signature proved cathartic for her
DESTINY'S WILD CHILD
ALAYA F CAUGHT IN A CONVERSATION WITH JITESH PILLAAI
SEOUL CONNECTION
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Wi Ha Joon of Squid Game fame talk about the global phenomenon with Tanzim Pardiwalla
"Smita was a victim.not a villain"
Manya Patil-Seth tells Farhana Farook why her late sister Smita Patil was a tragic contradiction – a pioneer of an actor but a prey of emotions
Best of Shatrughan Sinha's Rapid fire
With democracy facing a near-death situation in most of India's neighbouring countries, what, according to you, is the reason why Indian democracy is still standing strong in the current times? Gaurav Pant, New Delhi
THE RISE AND RISE OF PUSHPA 2
When Allu Arjun went to Patna around a month ago to showcase the trailer of Pushpa 2, naysayers mocked the move, stating that he's making a mistake about taking a Telugu film there. Guess what, the actor had the last laugh.
girl, uninterrupted
Fatima Sana Shaikh is so candid and forthright you don't believe she's a star.
