Manoj Bajpayee’s co-star was abandoned at 20 days old by her father for being a girl. Today, she’s a model turned actress.

Some stories don’t begin with fairytales, they begin with survival. For actress and former Miss India Pooja Chopra, life started with a heartbreaking ultimatum. When she was just 20 days old, her father told her mother to choose between her newborn daughter and her home. Without hesitation, her mother walked away, leaving her marriage, her house in Kolkata, and all stability behind, to raise Pooja and her elder sister on her own terms.

Growing up wasn’t easy. Finances were tight, and her mother juggled double shifts while her sister woke up at dawn to sell newspapers. Yet, they never let Pooja stop dreaming. From elocution contests to theatre and eventually modelling, every tiny opportunity was a step forward. At 18, Pooja boldly told her mother she wanted to be Miss India, a dream that once seemed unreachable due to financial struggles. But luck, sheer grit, and kindness from trainers helped her power through.

Her breakthrough moment came full circle when she won Miss India East 2009 in Kolkata, the very city her family had been forced to flee. It was a victory not just for her, but for her mother. That win catapulted her to Miss India 2009 and the global Miss World stage.

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Since then, Pooja has acted in films like Commando: A One Man Army and Heroine. She has also shared the screen with Sidharth Malhotra, Manoj Bajpayee and Rakul Preet Singh in Aiyaary. Apart from this, she has starred in Jahaan Chaar Yaar and the series Khakee: The Bengal Chapter. Despite fame, she remains deeply rooted, dedicating part of her earnings to empowering girls.

“From being the girl her father didn’t want to becoming a woman the world couldn’t ignore”, Pooja’s story is a powerful testament to the legacy of a mother’s love.