Pooja Batra (Hindi: पूज बत्रा, born on 27 October 1976) in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, is an Indian actress.
Early life and background
Pooja Batra was born to Ravi Batra, an army colonel who was wounded in the 1971 war between India and Pakistan. Her mother, Neelam Batra was a former Miss India participant in 1971. She did her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, where she enjoyed sports, debates and plays. She was a good athlete who competed in the 200 and 400 meter dash.
She majored in Economics at the Fergusson College, Pune. She also attained her MBA in marketing from Symbiosis College, Pune. She has two twin brothers.
Career
Early career
At a young age, she started modeling as a part-time job. She was best known for her Liril soap commercial. She was the first Indian face to launch and be a spokesperson for Head and Shoulders in India. As a model she has participated in over 250 events and ad campaigns. She shot to fame when she was crowned Miss India in 1993. She went on to become one of the top models in India. She walked the ramp for over 250 fashion shows in India and overseas. She is an ambassador for Parag Sarees.
She has played the lead role in over 20 films. One of her films, Taj Mahal, a historical epic, was shown at the Cannes film festival in 2004. Pooja turned down many offers to complete her education before signing a contract with the Virasat Film Studio. She is the life member of International Film And Television Club of Asian Academy Of Film & Television, Noida. In 1995 she did a cameo in a Tamil film called Aasai.
Later career
The first film she signed was Virasat in 1997. She worked in over 21 films including Haseena Maan Jayegi, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya and Kahin Pyar Na Ho Jaye.
Batra also worked in Malayalam films, majority of them being with Megastars Mohanlal and Mammootty. She also did two Tamil films. She also did theater and toured North America which got her considerable acclaim. She recently appeared at the 2009 Academy Awards in Los Angeles, where she reunited with co-star of Virasat, Anil Kapoor.
Personal life
Batra was married to orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Sonu Ahluwalia, in Los Angeles, California between 2002 and 2010. In January 2011, she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
Philanthropy
Batra has volunteered time and money to charitable causes including AIDS (Mukti Foundation), homeless children, the Bombay Police Department and injured soldiers in the Kashmir war.
She did pro bono work in the film, My Little Devil (Bas Yari Rakho) subtitled in Hindi, English and French to raise funds for the poor children in India. The film was co-produced by NFDC-La Fete (Canada) and directed by Gopi Desai. The film was screened at the 24th Annual Montreal World Film Festival, 2000; Chicago International Children's Film Festival, 2000; 10th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival of World Cinema, 2001 and the Indian Film Festival in Malaysia, 2005.
Awards and nominations
* 1997: Winner - Sansui Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress, for Virasat
* 1997: Nominated - Filmfare Award for the Most Promising Newcomer, for Virasat
* 2006: Nominated - Sansui Screen Award for the Best Actress, for Taj Mahal - An Eternal Love Story
Early life and background
Pooja Batra was born to Ravi Batra, an army colonel who was wounded in the 1971 war between India and Pakistan. Her mother, Neelam Batra was a former Miss India participant in 1971. She did her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, where she enjoyed sports, debates and plays. She was a good athlete who competed in the 200 and 400 meter dash.
She majored in Economics at the Fergusson College, Pune. She also attained her MBA in marketing from Symbiosis College, Pune. She has two twin brothers.
Career
Early career
At a young age, she started modeling as a part-time job. She was best known for her Liril soap commercial. She was the first Indian face to launch and be a spokesperson for Head and Shoulders in India. As a model she has participated in over 250 events and ad campaigns. She shot to fame when she was crowned Miss India in 1993. She went on to become one of the top models in India. She walked the ramp for over 250 fashion shows in India and overseas. She is an ambassador for Parag Sarees.
She has played the lead role in over 20 films. One of her films, Taj Mahal, a historical epic, was shown at the Cannes film festival in 2004. Pooja turned down many offers to complete her education before signing a contract with the Virasat Film Studio. She is the life member of International Film And Television Club of Asian Academy Of Film & Television, Noida. In 1995 she did a cameo in a Tamil film called Aasai.
Later career
The first film she signed was Virasat in 1997. She worked in over 21 films including Haseena Maan Jayegi, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya and Kahin Pyar Na Ho Jaye.
Batra also worked in Malayalam films, majority of them being with Megastars Mohanlal and Mammootty. She also did two Tamil films. She also did theater and toured North America which got her considerable acclaim. She recently appeared at the 2009 Academy Awards in Los Angeles, where she reunited with co-star of Virasat, Anil Kapoor.
Personal life
Batra was married to orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Sonu Ahluwalia, in Los Angeles, California between 2002 and 2010. In January 2011, she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
Philanthropy
Batra has volunteered time and money to charitable causes including AIDS (Mukti Foundation), homeless children, the Bombay Police Department and injured soldiers in the Kashmir war.
She did pro bono work in the film, My Little Devil (Bas Yari Rakho) subtitled in Hindi, English and French to raise funds for the poor children in India. The film was co-produced by NFDC-La Fete (Canada) and directed by Gopi Desai. The film was screened at the 24th Annual Montreal World Film Festival, 2000; Chicago International Children's Film Festival, 2000; 10th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival of World Cinema, 2001 and the Indian Film Festival in Malaysia, 2005.
Awards and nominations
* 1997: Winner - Sansui Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress, for Virasat
* 1997: Nominated - Filmfare Award for the Most Promising Newcomer, for Virasat
* 2006: Nominated - Sansui Screen Award for the Best Actress, for Taj Mahal - An Eternal Love Story
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