New Delhi: Model-actress Pooja Bedi recently opened up on her marriage with Farhan Furniturewala, her quitting films and why the relationship eventually didn’t last. In conversation with Siddharth Kannan Pooja Bedi spoke about her marriage with Farhan and how gossip about the film industry in the 90s made things worse for families to accept filmy bahus.
She said, “I got married to Farhan, who came from a conservative Muslim family, and there was no way on earth his family was going to accept a bahu who went to film sets. In those days, there was a lot of gossip in the film industry, and every time a film released, they tried to link you up with the heroes, all that drama would go on. I don’t think there was any way they were going to accept a bahu of the house who was still working in films.”
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How In 90s It Was Difficult to Accept Filmy Bahu
“In those days, there was a lot of gossip about the film industry, and every time a film was released, they would link you (the actress) up with the heroes, and all that drama would go on. I don’t think there was any way they were going to accept a bahu still working in films. Back then, once you got married, you stopped doing films. You were off the shelf, unlike today. Also, a ‘sexy bahu‘ or a ‘sex-symbol bahu‘ would have been a lot for them to handle.”
Why She Stepped Back…
She added that she made a conscious decision to step away from the industry and embrace her new life. “I thought about it, and I was like, ‘If I’m going to do something, I want to do it well and with full respect. I don’t want to walk into a family and make people there uncomfortable. So, either don’t get married because it’s going to create chaos, or let yourself fit into that world and see what it’s all about.’ I then returned all the signing amounts for all the films that I’d committed to; there were quite a few. My Kamasutra ad campaign had come up for renewal, and I had to reject that as well, even though I was offered about eight times the amount that they paid me originally.”
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Pooja Bedi’s Personal Life
On divorce, Pooja said, “It was a conscious decision by both of us to always be respectful and kind. We have two beautiful children, and we are best friends today. I love his current wife, Laila.”
Pooja Bedi tied the knot with Farhan Furniturewala in 1994. The couple welcomed their daughter, actor Alaya F, in 1997, followed by their son, Omar. The two divorced in 2003 after nearly a decade of marriage.
