Pooja Bhatt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pooja Bhatt
Bhatt in 2019
Born	(1972-02-24) 24 February 1972 (age 53) Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actress producer director
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Manish Makhija ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2014)​
Parent(s)	Mahesh Bhatt (father)
Relatives	See Bhatt family

Pooja Bhatt (born February 24, 1972) is a talented Indian actress, director, and producer. She became one of the top actresses in Hindi cinema from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. She has won several awards, including two National Film Awards and a Filmfare Awards.

Pooja comes from the famous Bhatt family. Her father is the well-known Indian filmmaker, Mahesh Bhatt. Pooja played her first main role in her father's television film Daddy in 1989. For this film, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. She became very popular with the romantic comedy Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991). This film was also her highest-earning movie. In the years that followed, Pooja played many different characters. She earned praise for her roles in films like Sadak (1991), Junoon (1992), Naaraaz (1994), Chaahat (1996), Tamanna (1997), Border (1997), and Zakhm (1998).

Early Life

Pooja Bhatt was born on February 24, 1972. Her parents are Mahesh Bhatt and Kiran Bhatt. She is the step-daughter of Soni Razdan. Pooja has a brother, Rahul Bhatt, and two younger half-sisters, Shaheen Bhatt and Alia Bhatt. Her cousins include film director Mohit Suri and actor Emraan Hashmi.

Career

Bhatt at a film festival.

Pooja Bhatt started her acting career at age 17. Her first film was Daddy in 1989. It was a TV film directed by her father, Mahesh Bhatt. In the film, she played a teenage girl trying to understand her relationship with her father. Her performance in Daddy earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

Her first big movie role was in the romantic comedy Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991). She starred alongside Aamir Khan. This film was a big success and made her a well-known actress.

Popular Films in the 1990s

Pooja starred in many popular films during the 1990s. One of her most famous films was Sadak (1991), where she acted with Sanjay Dutt. This movie was one of the highest-earning films of that year.

In 1992, she appeared in Prem Deewane and Junoon. Junoon was successful and received good reviews.

In 1993, Pooja starred in several films. These included Jaanam and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee, both of which were liked by critics. She also acted in Sir and Chor Aur Chaand. Later that year, she was in Pehla Nasha and Tadipaar.

Later Acting and Directing

After many successful movies, Pooja continued to act. In 1996, she starred in Chaahat with Shah Rukh Khan.

In 1997, she played an abandoned girl in the thriller film Tamanna. This film was special because it was her first movie as a producer. It also won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues. Later in 1997, she appeared in the drama Border. This film was a huge success and became one of the highest-earning Hindi films of the year.

Bhatt (right) with her father Mahesh Bhatt and actress Mallika Sherawat in 2004.

In 1998, Pooja gained more success with the film Zakhm. She starred with Ajay Devgan. This film won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. Pooja's role in Zakhm was based on her grandmother's life. Her performance was highly praised. She also acted in Angaaray with Akshay Kumar. This movie was also a commercial success.

From 2003 to 2012, Pooja focused on producing and directing films. She made her debut as a director with Paap in 2004. It starred John Abraham. She went on to direct four more films: Holiday (2006), Dhokha (2007), Kajraare (2010), and Jism 2 (2012).

In 2020, Pooja Bhatt returned to acting in Sadak 2. This film was a sequel to her 1991 hit movie Sadak. Her father, Mahesh Bhatt, directed this film after 20 years. Her half-sister Alia Bhatt also starred in it. The film was released on Disney+ Hotstar. In 2021, Pooja made her debut in a web series called Bombay Begums on Netflix.

Personal Life

Pooja Bhatt married restaurateur Manish Makhija in 2003. They later divorced in 2014.

Awards and Recognitions

Pooja Bhatt has received many awards for her work in films.

• In 1990, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for her first film, Daddy.
• In 1997, her film Tamanna, which she produced, won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.
• In 1999, her film Zakhm won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.
• She was also nominated for the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for her role in Zakhm.