Meet Pooja Chopra, Indian Actress, Won Miss India East 2009, Left Home When She Was 20 Days Old

The winner of Miss India East 2009, Pooja Chopra, holds a significant position in the world of fashion. She became the first Indian to win the 'Beauty with a Purpose' title at the Miss World competition in India. Besides being a beauty queen, Pooja is a talented actress. She also made her acting debut in 2011, with the Tamil film, Ponnar Shankar. Later, the actress got her breakthrough with the film, Commando: A One Man Army.

But behind the glamour and accolades lies deep down a melancholic story of struggle, perseverance, and a mother’s immense support and courage. Pooja is survived by her mom, Neera Chopra and elder sister, Shubhra Chopra. Born in Kolkata, her father wanted a boy and was reluctant to raise another daughter.

Pooja Chopra’s early life and childhood struggles

Pooja was born in Kolkata. The Indian actress has an elder sister, Shubhra Chopra. When Pooja was just 20 days old, her father refused to raise another daughter as he wanted a boy. Her father also gave an ultimatum to Pooja’s mom to choose between Pooja, who was a baby girl at that time, and leave in the house. Without any hesitation, the brave mother, left her marital home with her two daughters. Neera took her two daughters to Mumbai and was determined to raise them as a single mother.

Pooja Chopra got a lot of support from her elder sister, Shubhra Chopra

As Pooja was just a newborn when her mother left their Kolkata home, she was totally unaware of the struggles that her mother had to face due to her. But her elder sister, whom she lovingly called Didi, was always there to guide her. In a conversation with Humans of Bombay, Pooja was quoted as saying:

"So while growing up, Didi would keep telling me, ‘Ache se padhai karo.’ Finances were tight; Maa would work double shifts & Didi would wake up at 4 AM to sell newspapers. But Didi never let me stop dreaming — ‘Elocution me part lo,’ ‘Theatre karo,’ ‘Modeling try karo.’ So I did everything."

Pooja Chopra had a dream of becoming a model

At the age of 18, Pooja shared her dream of becoming a model to her mom. She opened up to her mom to be Miss India. Her mother, Neera, who was a constant support system for her, made a promise to support her with everything she had if the latter got good marks in her studies. So, Pooja started preparing for the pageant, along with her studies.

However, there were constant financial constraints that obstructed her from paying her gym fees, stylist fees and fees to her modelling trainer. In the interview with Humans of Bombay, Pooja recalled that luck had favoured her a bit as most of her trainers had cut down their fees. In fact, some also waived off their fees after seeing her dedication and sincerity.

Pooja Chopra returns back to her hometown, Kolkata, at the age of 22

At the age of 22, Pooja Chopra returned back to her hometown, Kolkata, to take part in Miss India East 2009. It wasn’t a mere contest to Pooja but an inner struggle to win on the land from where she was once kicked out with her mom and elder sister. She was one of the 24 contestants at the pageant. Making her mother proud, Pooja was crowned Miss India East 2009. Later, she won many accolades, including the Femina Miss India World 2009 and took part in the Miss World 2009. In Miss World 2009, she secured 16th rank and became the first Indian to win the ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ title.

Pooja Chopra’s acting journey

Besides being a model, Pooja also paved her way in acting. She made her silver screen debut with the 2011 Tamil film, Ponnar Shankar. She later also appeared in Bollywood films including Commando: A One Man Army, Jahaan Chaar Yaar, Aiyaary, and Heroine.

Pooja Chopra's journey is an inspiration for all who dream big. In fact, her mother, Neera Chopra's contribution to her life is immense. Team BollywoodShaadis.com salutes every single mother like Neera, who struggles hard to raise their children.

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