Pooja Bhatt: I have been in relationships since I was 16; I am as free as a bird now

From Bombay Begums and Big Girls Don’t Cry to Bigg Boss OTT 2, Pooja Bhatt has made her way in the digital entertainment space. The actress, a prominent name in the 1990s who later transitioned to filmmaking and took a long hiatus from acting, made her comeback through OTT platforms. But she insists she’s

no newcomer to this medium — after all, Doordarshan was her version of OTT back in the ’90s!




‘Doordarshan was the OTT of those days’

For Pooja, streaming might be the current trend, but she appeared in living rooms long before it became a phenomenon. She explains, “My birth came from OTT when I was 17. I was in a film called Daddy, produced by DD, and it was released on TV. So, Doordarshan was the OTT of those days. This medium is not new to me. These platforms are modern OTT.”

‘Film schools don’t teach you how to deal with failure’

Pooja, who hosted the podcast The Pooja Bhatt Show last year, hopes that shows like these offer young actors a reality check. “Someone needs to tell them that showbiz is not only a glitzy road full of highs. You are signing up for a lifetime of uncertainty and doors being slammed in your face. It’s a journey where you will be second-guessing yourself and asking, ‘Am I really good?’ These are things they don’t teach you enough in film schools. They won’t talk about failure, loss or how to deal with replacements.”



‘I have been in relationships since I was 16. I am as free as a bird now’

Following her divorce in 2014, Pooja has embraced singlehood and lives life on her own terms. “It is glorious. I am enjoying being single. I have been in relationships probably since I was 16. I am as free as a bird now. I am the captain of my own ship. I call my own shots. I have so much love to offer to the world. I have friends, cats, books and my craft. I am a nomad and I travel a lot. I want to be able to pick up my bag and go whenever I want. I discovered gymming at the age of 50. For me, my gym is my temple now.”



‘I will always be somebody who will celebrate love’

Sharing her thoughts on marriage and love, she continues, “I will always be someone who will celebrate love. I have a combination of friends - some who have been married for 40 years and some who have been divorced four times. I am not missing out on anything. For the first time in my life, I feel complete. I think it has taken me a long time to realise that it is not only about finding the right person, but about being the right person. I quit alcohol eight and a half years ago. Quitting alcohol was the easy part, but when you do that, you realise what you were running away from while that drink was being used as a painkiller. Love is no different.”Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”