1 hour agoAuthor: Akash Khare
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Winning the title of Miss Young India at just 16 years of age and then debuting with director like Yash Chopra’s multi-starrer film ‘Trishul’ is not a small thing?
That too for a girl whose family does not even watch films. This girl was the famous actress of the 80s, Poonam Dhillon, who is celebrating her 62nd birthday today.
Poonam has been active in the industry for the last 46 years. However, even after doing 90 films in his career, he has not received any award till now.
Today on Poonam’s birthday, know how she left her dream of becoming a doctor and became an actress and why she distanced herself from films after working for 10 years…
Poonam Dhillon was born in Kanpur, but did her schooling in Chandigarh.
Poonam was born in 1962 in Kanpur, UP. His father Amrik Singh was an engineer in the Indian Air Force and mother Gurcharan Kaur was a school principal.
After a few years, when her father was transferred, Poonam reached Chandigarh with her family. Here she started her studies from Carmel Convent School.
Watching movies was forbidden in the family
Poonam never wanted to make a career in the acting field. Her entire focus was on studies and she wanted to become a doctor.
Explaining the reason for this in an interview, Poonam had said – ‘Watching films was prohibited in my family. Till the age of 16, I had seen only 3 films. I neither knew much about films nor was I interested in this field.
Apart from being good in studies, Poonam was also top in sports. She was the sports captain in school.
Rajesh Khanna called from the crowd and gave a compliment
When Poonam was in 8th class, Hindi cinema’s first superstars Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia had come to Chandigarh for shooting. Poonam also went to watch the shooting with her friends to feel the stardom of Rajesh Khanna.
Poonam was so beautiful that Kaka noticed her even amidst the crowd of girls in school uniform standing on the set. Kaka called Poonam near him and said that your eyes are very beautiful. Later, Poonam did 6 films with Rajesh Khanna including ‘Red Rose’, ‘Dard’ and ‘Awaam’.
After becoming Miss Young India, Poonam started getting modeling offers.
Became Miss Young India at the age of 16
After this, in the year 1978, Poonam participated in the Miss India Competition at the age of 16. In an interview, she had told that she wanted to explore such shows and the only way to do so was to participate in them.
Poonam participated in this competition without informing her parents and won the title of Miss Young India. In this event, famous director Yash Chopra noticed Poonam and he offered her a multi-starrer film like ‘Trishul’.
Initially Poonam had refused to work in this film. She did not want to become an actress, but on Yash Chopra’s insistence she signed it.
(Left to Right) Randhir Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Amitabh Bachchan, Geeta Siddharth and Sanjeev Kumar on the sets of the film Trishul.
Wore swim suit in debut film, worked with Amitabh-Shashi Kapoor
Poonam debuted as an actress with ‘Trishul’, released in 1978. The film featured actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Rakhi, Hema Malini and Waheeda Rehman. Poonam played the role of Shashi Kapoor’s sister in the film and her co-star was Sachin Pilgaonkar. Poonam wore a swim suit in her very first film.
The song ‘Gapuchi Gapuchi Gum Gum’ shot on Sachin and Poonam in ‘Trishul’ became very popular.
Mother did not talk to me for 5 years after joining films
In an interview, Poonam had said, ‘When I joined the industry, it was very shocking for my mother. It took him 5 years to accept it. He didn’t even talk to me.
It took me a long time to convince him to take me to the shoot. Years later, when he saw that I was getting both attention and respect from this career, he realized that this career was also not bad. Dad was always supportive.
Family members put this condition on working in films
Poonam started working in films but she had to follow many rules. If pack-up took place at 10 o’clock, they had to reach home at 10:30 pm. He was not allowed to go out late night with his friends. His parents used to accompany him on outdoor shoots. However, he rarely visited the set.
Filmmaker Yash Chopra introduced Poonam to Bollywood. He also produced the most hit film of Poonam’s career, ‘Noori’.
Shooting of ‘Trishul’ was like a picnic for Poonam
When Poonam was asked in an interview, how did she agree to such a small role in the first film of her career?
So he had said- ‘I did not work in my first film ‘Trishul’ thinking that this is my first film and I have to make my career in this field. I just thought that I have to do just one film and then concentrate on my studies.
I neither had the understanding to think whether my role was small or big, nor did I have any ego problem. For me it was just a fun adventure and picnic.
Farooq Sheikh was seen opposite Poonam in Yash Raj banner’s film ‘Noori’.
Got recognition as an actress from ‘Noori’
After the shooting of ‘Trishul’ ended, Poonam completed her schooling and joined college. Only a few months after joining college, director Yash Chopra offered him the film ‘Noori’.
Poonam got recognition as an actress from the film ‘Noori’ released in 1979. Farooq Sheikh was seen opposite her in the film. It was a superhit and became the seventh highest grossing film of the year. The film was also released in China in 1981, and did good business there too.
For this film, Poonam received the first Filmfare Best Actress nomination of her career.
90 films and zero awards
After this, Poonam gave many hit films in her career like ‘Kala Patthar’, ‘Sohni-Mahiwal’, ‘Red Rose’, ‘Dard’, ‘Teri Meherbaniyaan’ and ‘Karma’. The actress worked in about 90 films in her career, but she never received any award for any film.
Married to filmmaker, divorced after 9 years
After giving many successful films in a career spanning 10 years, Poonam married filmmaker Ashok Thakaria in 1988. However, the couple divorced in 1997 after 9 years of marriage.
In media reports, the reason for this divorce was said to be Ashok’s extra-marital affair. After the divorce, Poonam got the custody of both the children, daughter Paloma and son Anmol.
Poonam took a break from films after marrying filmmaker Ashok Thakaria.
The trend of vanity started in 1990
In the year 1990, Poonam started the business of vanity makeup van with her husband Ashok. The credit for starting the vanity culture in the industry also goes to him.
Poonam had told in an interview that often during outdoor shooting, actresses faced a lot of difficulties in changing clothes and other tasks. In such a situation, he started this culture. This vanity of Poonam was inaugurated by Anil Kapoor and Sridevi.
Sridevi inaugurating Poonam’s vanity.
Actor Anil Kapoor was also present in this event. He also cut the ribbon of the vanity.
Made TV debut with Andaz in 1995
After marriage, Poonam stayed away from films to a great extent. She wanted to focus on raising her children. In such a situation, he started doing one or two films a year.
In 1995, he debuted on the small screen with the TV show ‘Andaz’. During this time, she was also seen in small roles in films like ‘Dil Bole Hadippa’ and ’13B’.
Poonam also participated in the third season of the reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ in 2009. She stayed inside the house for 80 days and became the second runner up of the show.
Poonam Dhillon with co-actress Krystle D’Souza of the TV show ‘Ek Nayi Pehchan’.
Received the only award of my career for the show ‘Ek Nayi Pehchan’
Poonam won the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in Supporting Role for the TV show ‘Ek Nayi Pehchaan’ released in 2015. This is the only award in his career.
In the last few years, Poonam has been seen in films like ‘Jai Mummy Di’ and ‘Plan A Plan B’. Poonam has also been seen in the film ‘Ek Kori Prem Katha’ released on 5th April. He has been active in the industry for 46 years.
Poonam with daughter Paloma and son Anmol.
Poonam’s daughter Paloma (far left) made her Bollywood debut with Sunny Deol’s son Rajveer in the film ‘Dono’, released in October 2023.
Earns from vanity business, also tried her luck in politics
Apart from films, Poonam also earns well from her vanity business. In 2014, he also started an event management and film production company with industrialist Anil Murarka and choreographer Sameer Tanna.
Poonam also tried her luck in politics. She joined BJP in 2004 and was also elected Vice President of the party from Mumbai in 2019.