Pooja Chopra
Chopra in 2018
Born1985 or 1986 (age 37–38)[1]
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
OccupationActress
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleFemina Miss India World 2009
Years active2009-present
Major
competition(s)		Femina Miss India World 2009
(Winner)
Miss World 2009
(Top 16)
(Beauty with a Purpose)

Pooja Chopra is an Indian actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. She won the title of Femina Miss India World 2009 and represented India at Miss World 2009 pageant where[2] she became the first Indian to win the "Beauty with a Purpose" title at the Miss World competition for India.[3] As an actress, Chopra was awarded the Times Most Powerful Woman Award for her contribution to the field of acting. She got her breakthrough with Commando: A One Man Army and since then, appeared in many films.[4]

Pooja Chopra features in the Times list of 50 most beautiful faces of India.[5]

Early life

Chopra was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. She stated was abandoned by her father at birth since he wanted a boy.[6] Chopra's mother, Neera had to leave her marital home since she refused to admit Pooja to an orphanage in Kolkata, and she moved to Mumbai with both kids. She worked and brought up both girls by herself.[7][1] She is a resident of Pune, Maharashtra. She has an older sister named Shubhra Chopra. She attended Mount Carmel Convent High School and later graduated from Ness Wadia College, both in Pune.

Career

2009–12: Career beginnings

Chopra in 2009

Pooja Chopra was crowned with the 2009 Femina Miss India East title on 17 February 2009, in Kolkata. She also won Miss Perfect 10, Miss Catwalk, Miss Beautiful Smile, Talwarkars Best Body, and Nakshatra Miss Sparkling Beauty, thus gaining direct entry into the top ten finalists of the Femina Miss India 2009. On 5 April 2009, she was crowned the Pantaloons Femina Miss India-World 2009.

Chopra sprained her ankle while running down a flight of stairs one week prior to the Miss World Final, which was scheduled to take place on 12 December 2009; still, she participated in the competition and earned a positive response from the public.[8] Doctors advised 3 weeks of complete bed-rest, but she continued with the competition.[9] She finished as one of the top 16 finalists out of 120 contestants.[10][11]

During her reign as Miss she endorsed brands such as Tata Docomo,[12] Bajaj Allainz,[13] Richfeel,[14] Body and Soul, Roots Comb, Evolve Med Spa,[15] and Juvederm Voluma.[16]

2013–present: Acting

Chopra at the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image in 2016

Chopra made her acting debut in the 2011 Tamil film Ponnar Shankar,[17] playing the role of Princess Muthaayi, opposite Prashanth Thiagarajan.[18] Before she made her debut in Bollywood as a leading lady, she had minor roles in Madhur Bhandarkar's films Fashion and Heroine.[19]

Chopra acted in Vipul Shah's action film Commando opposite Vidyut Jammwal, in her first lead role.[20] Chopra starred in Neeraj Pandey's short film Ouch, a dramatic love story.[21]

Meena Iyer from Times of India said, "Pooja Chopra (Femina Miss India-2009) is super-confident in her film debut and a welcome addition to Bollywood's heroines".[22]

Pooja has won 8 National and International Titles in 2009. She appeared in Kingfisher Calendar 2020. Pooja features in Times 50 Most beautiful faces India. Chopra's next films Jahaan Chaar Yaar and Jeevan Beema Yojna both releasing in 2022.

She has given a TED Talk on the subject of "Write your own destiny : Journey of a once abandoned girl child". The talk happened in Krupanidhi Institution of Engineering, Bangalore.

Philanthropy

On 12 December 2009, she won the "Beauty With a Purpose" title at Miss World 2009 based on her charitable work in the India "Nanhi Kali" project. She won US$10,000 for her project, which she donated to the NGO which helps small girls fight poverty.[23]

Considering their shared interest in fitness, Pooja chopra, along with Akshay Kumar, launched the Asian Heart Institute Initiative "Happy Heart India" campaign for underprivileged children in 2018.[24] Chopra was also invited by the BMC to lead the campaign #EkChammachKam alongside Farhan Akhtar to spread awareness about non-communicable diseases.[25]

Post Pulwama attack in 2019, Pooja Chopra donated part of her Aiyaary earnings to families of Martyred Soldiers.[26]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearFilmRoleNotes
2008FashionHerselfSpecial appearance
2011Ponnar ShankarPrincess MuthaayiTamil film
2012HeroineShaheen KhanSpecial appearance
The World Before HerHerselfEnglish Documentary film
2013Commando: A One Man ArmySimrit Sarabjit KaurLead Role
2016Yea Toh Two Much Ho GayaaMeenaLead Role
OuchPriyaShort film - Lead Role
2018AiyaaryCaptain Maya SemwalSupporting
2021Babloo BachelorAvantikaLead Role
2022Jahaan Chaar YaarSakinaLead Role[27]
2022Jeevan Beema YojnaTBALead Role[28]

Web series

Year Title Role Platform Notes
2020 Poison 2 Isha Khanna ZEE5 [29]

References

  1. 1 2 "Miss India Pooja Chopra's dad told mum to kill her or forfeit marriage". DNA India. 3 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 December 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  2. ↑ "Pooja Chopra is Miss India 2009". NDTV.com. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "Injured Miss India is 'Beauty with a Purpose'". NDTV.com. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  4. ↑ Media, 5 Dreams. "Pooja Chopra Wins The Times Most Powerful Women Award 2017!". elfaworld.com. Retrieved 10 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "The Times 50 Most Desirable Women 2013 | Pooja Chopra at 31". Retrieved 10 June 2020 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ "Pooja Chopra & her Mom BREAK DOWN: "Daddy didn't want her 'coz he wanted a male child!" - Exclusive Interview".
  7. ↑ "Neera Chopra: My Husband threw us out". The Times of India. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "Miss Gibraltar crowned Miss World; Miss India wins plaudits". DNA India. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "I am not withdrawing from Miss World, says injured Pooja Chopra". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "Pooja Chopra misses the crown; but wins loudest applause". Zee News. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  11. ↑ "Outlook India Photo Gallery". outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  12. ↑ "Pooja Chopra brand ambassador of Tata Docomo". Bollyone.com. 6 August 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "Business : Bajaj Allianz launches women-specific scheme". The Hindu. 10 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "Femina Miss India World Pooja Chopra at Richfeel Trichology event | Parties & Events - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. 22 June 2011.
  15. ↑ "Evolve Med Spa". Evolve Med Spa. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  16. ↑ "Pooja Chopra unveils Juvederm Voluma | Bollywood Bytes". Hamaraphotos.com. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  17. ↑ "Ponnar Shankar (film) Review". The Times of India.
  18. ↑ "Ponnar Shankar sold to Martin Productions". Kollytalk.com. 15 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  19. ↑ "Former Miss India Pooja Chopra became an actress for her mother". Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  20. ↑ Sharma, Sarika. "Ayushmann Khuraana's 'Nautanki Saala', Vidyut Jamwal's Commando hit screens today". The Indian Express. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  21. ↑ Bhattacharya, Roshmila. "'Ouch' review: Neeraj Pandey's short film turns the tables on the man-woman equation". Mumbai Mirror.
  22. ↑ Iyer, Meena. "Commando (2013) Movie Review". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  23. ↑ "Pantaloon Femina Miss India World 2009 Comes Together with Nanhi Kali on International Girl Child's Day". IIFL - India Infoline. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  24. ↑ Hungama, Bollywood (23 April 2018). "Pooja Chopra joins Akshay Kumar for Asian Heart Institute's latest initiative- 'Happy Heart India'". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  25. ↑ "Farhan Akhtar, Pooja Chopra team up to fight against health risks in the city". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  26. ↑ Hungama, Bollywood (17 February 2018). "Pooja Chopra donates part of her Aiyaary earning to families of martyred soldiers : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  27. ↑ "Swara Bhasker, Shikha Talsania, Meher Vij and Pooja Chopra resume shoot of Jahaan Chaar Yaar". Bollywood Hungama. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  28. ↑ "Arshad Warsi will take on a double role for the first time in Jeevan Bheema Yojana".
  29. ↑ "Poison 2 (Zee5) Web Series Watch Online, Cast, Trailer, Release Date". Bollywood News 23. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
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