Pooja Bedi was born in Mumbai to the late Indian classical dancer Protima and film star Kabir Bedi. She was brought up in what she calls a bohemian progressive artistic environment. She received her basic education at Besant Montessori in Mumbai and then at Lawrence School, Sanawar . She was a class topper academically and was in the basketball team, hockey team, swimming team, debating team, and theatre group. Bedi married Guetta Ebrahim Furniturewalla whom she met in 1990. She has two children, a daughter Aalia Furniturewalla born in 1997 and a son Omar Ebrahim, born in 2000. Bedi and Farhan divorced in 2003.She is now having relationship with TV actor Sky (Akashdeep Sehgal).From 1991 to 1994, Pooja Bedi worked in Bollywood films, has appeared in many commercials and campaigns. She is remembered for the Kama Sutra condom campaign which she endorsed and used as a vehicle to raise awareness of AIDS.She appeared in plays such as Carry On Papa, Wow What a Girl and A Bengali Jatra. She made her film debut with Jag Mundhra’s 1991 film Vishkanya. 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. Her other films include Lootere (1993) and Aatank Hi Aatank (1995). In 2000, she complied and edited Timepass, the memoirs of her mother Protima Bedi. 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. In 2000 she had a public tiff with Amitabh Bachchan. She has hosted celebrity talk shows since 2004, one of which, formerly titled Not just Page 3 was later known as Just Pooja. It was broadcast on zOOm. This show went on to win multiple awards . In 2007, she participated in Jhalak Dikhlaja on Sony Entertainment Television and has since taken up Latin American ballroom dancing. Pooja Bedi later performed with her choreographer/partner Hanif Hilal at events and functions all across the globe. She took part in Nach Baliye (Season 3) on Star Plus and Khatron Ke Khiladi on Colors channel. She hosted the Saturday special episode of Bigg Boss season 2 where she interviewed the evicted contestants. In 2010, she participated in Maa Exchange, the Indian version of “Wife Swap” on Sony Entertainment Television. She has been a brand ambassador for Kaya Skin Clinic, Allergan India and the Country Club (CCIL India). She is currently a relationship counsellor with her column “Heart Chakra” in the Times of India, and also with her column in Femina, an Indian women’s magazine. She also writes a monthly column for the magazine Men’s Health. Pooja Bedi is the Chairperson of the charitable organization The Grassroots Foundation. The foundation’s objectives and activities include poverty housing, livelihood skills programs, education, farming reforms and water harvesting.
