She’d dreamt of reaching the stars some day. While still a child, Pooja Bhatt wanted to become an astronaut. By the age of 17, Mahesh Bhatt’s chubby daughter (and granddaughter of Nanabhai Bhatt of Prakash Pictures) had abandoned all those celestial dreams for earthly glamour.

The teenager made a totally unconventional debut under her father’s watchful eye with ‘Daddy’ (1989). A typical Bhatt offering, this ‘semi-autobiographical’ melodrama had Pooja pulling her frustrated, lonely and alcoholic father (Anupam Kher) back from the edge of doom.

For once, Pooja was perfectly cast as the spoilt and arrogant daughter of a multi-millionaire who runs off to marry an opportunist and falls in love with a penniless journalist (Aamir Khan) instead. Apart from the fact that ‘DHKMN‘ worked its charm on the box-office, the movie also got widely written (and talked) about in gossip rags and otherwise for the alleged closeness between the lead pair.

This turned out to be the last (and only the second) major hit of Pooja’s short-lived acting career. After five years marked by a seemingly unending line of flops (most of them home productions!), she finally switched lanes and turned producer with ‘Tamanna’ (1996).

Pooja Bhatt Productions’ first offering was another ‘inspired‘ story, that of a eunuch (Paresh Rawal) who adopts an abandoned child (Pooja herself). Thebox-office failure of her first effort perhaps prompted Pooja to finally wipe the pancake of her face and concentrate on being a full-time producer.

The ploy worked and ‘Dushman‘, which starred Kajol in a double role and launched the careers of director Tanuja Chandra and bad man Ashutosh Rana became the ‘off-beat’ hit of 1998.

Towards the end of the year, Pooja managed to release her third film, ‘Zakhm‘ which was also her father’s swansong. Obviously, Mahesh Bhatt’s last offering had to be drawn from his own life So it was. And had Pooja executing the seriously challenging task of playing her own grandmother on screen.

A difficult job for any actress, Pooja stole the show with an astonishing performance. Her pain-washed face brought alive the tragedy of a woman who is forced to live in ignominy and can never call the man she loves, her own, despite bearing two children by him!

Films Done By Pooja Bhatt

1989 Daddy Pooja
1991 Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin Pooja Dharamchand
1991 Sadak Pooja
1992 Prem Deewane Radha
1992 Jaanam Anjali
1992 Saatwan Aasman Pooja Malhotra
1992 Junoon Dr. Nita V. Chauhan
1993 Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee Pooja
1994 Kranti Kshetra Pooja
1995 Gunehgar Pooja Thakur
1995 Hum Dono Priyanka Surendra Gupta
1995 Angrakshak Priyanka Choudhary/Priya
1996 Kalloori Vaasal (Tamil film) Pooja
1996 Chaahat Pooja
1996 Khilona
1997 Tamanna Tamanna Ali Sayed
1997 Border Kammo
1998 Yeh Aashiqui Meri Anju
1998 Kabhi Na Kabhi Tina
1998 Angaaray Pooja
1998 Zakhm Mrs. Desai
2009 Sanam Teri Kasam Seema Khanna
2010 Everybody Says I’m Fine Tanya
2020 Sadak 2 Pooja Varma

Awards and recognitions Received By Pooja Bhatt

1991 Filmfare Award for Lux New Face of the Year Daddy New Face of the Year Won
1997 National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues Tamanna Best Film on Other Social Issues
1999 Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration Zakhm Best Feature Film on National Integration
2004 Zee Cine Awards Paap Best Debuting Director Nominated