POOJA BATRA

POOJA BATRA - Film Actor

Pooja Batra (born 27 October 1976) in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, 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 Number-1,Faridabad,Haryana, Kendriya Vidyalaya ONGC Agartala No. 2 at Tripura, Kendriya Vidyalaya (Army) Belgaum 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 has two (twins) brothers. She was Miss Asia Pacific (3rd runners up) in 1993 and at that time she was 18 years old.

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 Asia-Pacific 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. She is from Mhow, near Indore M.P.

The first film she signed was Virasat in 1997. She worked in over 22 films including Haseena Maan Jayegi, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya and Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye.

Batra worked in Malayalam films, the majority of them with megastars Mohanlal and Mammootty. She did two Tamil films. She acted in 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 her Virasat costar, Anil Kapoor.

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.