Pooja Bedi enjoyed a promising start in Bollywood after making her debut opposite Aamir Khan in ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’. However, despite receiving several film offers after the success of the movie, she chose to step away from acting following her marriage to Farhan Furniturewala. In a recent conversation, Pooja reflected on her marriage, divorce and the bond she continues to share with her former husband.Pooja revealed that she married a Muslim man and added that in 1994, “there wasn’t that much of an uproar as it is today.” Reflecting on changing social dynamics, she added, “This sentiment of Muslim and Hindu which is so sad because when I was growing up, it was actually true democracy and truly secular in so many ways,” she said on Jos Alukkas’ YouTube channel. She also described her former in-laws as conventional and explained that continuing her acting career while living with them would have made them uncomfortable, which ultimately led her to quit films.Despite the success of ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’, Pooja returned the signing amounts she had accepted for upcoming films and decided to focus entirely on married life. “I thought to myself that if I am going to be a wife, and a daughter-in-law, I think I should aim to be the best version of that. That’s my new avatar,” she said. She also pointed out that in those days, married actresses were often considered to have no future in films.Speaking about her relationship with Farhan, Pooja said she does not consider the marriage a mistake despite its end. “Marriage is an experience, it’s a journey. I thank him for my two beautiful children. I don’t know how life would have been without them. I love them. My marriage gave me a best friend because my ex-husband, till today, is my best friend, and my children, they are my love, my life,” she shared.Pooja recalled that she and Farhan decided to separate after 12 years of marriage, when their daughter was five and their son was only two. “I was 24 when I got married, and 32 is when I got divorced,” she said. Discussing the emotional impact of the divorce, she explained that she never allowed the situation to take away her happiness. “My joy was never taken away. I was so happy to be married and I was so happy to be divorced.”Explaining why she chose to walk away from the marriage, Pooja said she wanted to reclaim her happiness after the relationship had turned unhappy. “I am thankful and grateful for the 12 years I had together, the children that we had together. Thank you, but just because I had 12 good years doesn’t mean I should have 50 bad years,” she said.At the same time, she admitted that the divorce was emotionally difficult. Calling it a “crushing blow in many ways,” she said she eventually realised that “things are utterly miserable and are not going to change. It’s beyond repair and at that point, you have a decision to make.”Pooja also shared that her outlook towards divorce was shaped by her own childhood experiences. Her parents, Kabir Bedi and Protima Bedi, separated when she was just five years old, but continued to maintain a warm and respectful relationship. “I grew up seeing my father and mother being divorced. I was 5 when they got divorced, and I saw them having the most loving and respectful relationship. I saw them being best friends with each other. My dad, on his honeymoon, wth his second wife, came and stayed with us,” she recalled.She further revealed that she shares a wonderful bond with Farhan’s current wife, Layla, as well. “His current wife, Layla, she is so lovely. I have known her since I was in Junior KG. Their son is like a part of my family. My daughter, in an interview, said that I can’t imagine my life without Layla Aunty and without Zaan (their son) because our family got bigger,” she said.
