Poonam Dhillon
Born	Poonam Dhillon (1962-04-18) April 18, 1962 (age 51) Kanpur, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Ashok Thakeria (1988–1997 Divorced)
Children	Anmol, Paloma
Website
http://www.poonamdhillon.com

Poonam Dhillon (born on 18 April 1962) is an Indian Hindi film, theatre and TV actress. A former Femina Miss India (1977), Dhillon has acted in over 80 films.^[1] She is best known for her 1979 film, Noorie, for her six films with Rajesh Khanna Red Rose, Dard, Nishaan, Zamana, Awam (from 1980 to 1987) and Sohni Mahiwal (1984), Samundar, Saveray Wali Gaadi (1986) and Naam (1986).

Career [edit]

Dhillon first gained fame when she was crowned Miss Young India ^[2] at the age of 16. Director Yash Chopra noticed her and offered her a role in the film Trishul (1978) where she performed the song "Gapoochi Gapoochi gum gum" with co-star Sachin Pilgaonkar. Chopra then gave her the title role in Noorie (1979), which he produced. For this, Dhillon was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Subsequently she did about 90 films in Hindi, including Sohni Mahiwal, Red Rose, Teri Kasam, Dard, Nishana, Yeh Vada Raha, Samunder, Romance, Kasam, and Sitamgar. She was often paired with Rajesh Khanna^[3] and together, they performed in Dard, Nishaan, Zamana and Awam and the critically acclaimed Red Rose which became a box office failure and potboiler Jai Shiv Shankar.^[4] She takes the pride of featuring in six films opposite Kaka, the phenomenally brilliant actor of the yesteryear: the much glorified Rajesh Khanna.^[5]

She did a cameo in Judai (1996) as a favor to producer Boney Kapoor after Juhi Chawla dropped out. She also appeared in regional films such as Nyay Danda, (Bengali), Yuddha Kaanda (Kannada) and Ishtam (Telugu).

She has done Hindi theatre, The Perfect Husband which won the best comedy play award in 2005 and which completed Golden Jubilee run. She is currently acting in the plays The Perfect Wife co-starring Sooraj Thapar and Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi with Asif Sheikh.

Dhillon ventured into the make-up van business, pioneering the concept in the Indian film industry. She runs a successful make-up van company, "VANITY". She was one of the first to start a personal website in 2000. She has been very active with social causes like drug awareness, AIDS awareness, family planning and organ donation. Dhillon was the fourth guest on Bigg Boss (Season 3) aired on Colors TV. She ended up as the second runner-up on the show. She did a show for "save & empower the Girl child" with LILAVATI hospital. She has an event and film production company, poetic justice films pvt ltd.

Poonam Dhillon is born into a Sikh punjabi family.

Filmography [edit]

• Ramaiya Vasta Vaiya (2013)
• Miley Naa Miley Hum (2011) - Shalini S. Mehra
• Dil Bole Hadippa! (2009) – Yamini Singh (Vikram's wife)
• 13B (2009) – Manohar's mother
• Ishtam (2001) – Lakshmi
• Judaai (1997) – Nisha (guest appearance)
• Mahaanta (1997) – Shanti (Mrs. Vijay Kapoor)
• Virodhi (1992)
• Jai Shiv Shankar (1992)
• Jhoothi Shaan (1991) – Ganga
• Qurbani Rang Layegi (1991) – Poonam
• Amiri Garibi (1990) – Rani
• Atishbaaz (1990)
• Pathar Ke Insan (1990) – Lata Rai
• Police Public (1990) – Karuna Arun Sharma
• Yuddha Kaanda (1989) – Kannada film
• Batwara(1989) – Rajendra's wife
• Abhimanyu (1989) – Tulsi/Miss California 'Kelly'
• Deshwasi (1989)
• Galiyon Ka Badshah (1989) – Madhu
• Hisaab Khoon Ka (1989)
• Saaya (1989)
• Hum Farishte Nahin (1988) – Sunita
• Kasam (1988)
• Maalamaal (1988) – Poonam Malhotra
• Sone Pe Suhaaga (1988) – Shraddha
• Himmat Aur Mehanat (1987) - Sharda
• Avam (1987)
• Mard Ki Zabaan (1987)
• Avinash (1986)
• Dosti Dushmani (1986)
• Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986) – Raaji
• Karma (film) (1986) – Tulsi
• Khel Mohabbat Ka (1986) – Lily/Shyamoli
• Naam (1986) – Seema Rai
• Palay Khan (1986)
• Samundar (1986) – Anjali
• Saveray Wali Gaadi (1986) – Jyoti
• Bepanaah (1985) – Radha Malhotra
• Geraftaar (1985) – Anuradha Saxena
• Kabhi Ajnabi The (1985)
• Shiva Ka Insaaf (1985) – Nisha
• Sitamgar (1985)
• Tawaif (1985)
• Teri Meherbaniyan (1985) – Bijli
• Zamana (1985)
• Badal (1984) – Meenakshi
• John Jani Janardhan (1984)
• Laila (1984)
• Sohni Mahiwal (1984) – Sohni
• Yaadgaar (1984)
• Nishan (1983)
• Qayamat (1983)
• Romance (1983) – Sonia
• Aapas Ki Baat (1982) – Kajal Srivastava
• Sawaal (1982)
• Teri Kasam (1982) – Dolly
• Yeh To Kamaal Ho Gaya (1982) – Priya Singh
• Yeh Vaada Raha (1982) – Sunita Sikkan/Sonu
• Baseraa (1981) – Sarita Sethi
• Dard (1981) – Poonam Bhargav
• Main Aur Mera Haathi (1981) – Julie
• Poonam (1981) – Poonam
• Red Rose (1980) – Sharda
• Biwi-O-Biwi (1980) – Asha
• Nishana (1980)
• Kaala Patthar (1979) – Raghunath's daughter
• Noorie (1979) – Noorie Nabi
• Trishul (1978) – Babli/Kusum Gupta

Television [edit]

• Andaaz
• Chusth Durusth on Zee TV
• Kittie Party
• "Showbiz India" Celebrity Profile (2005)

As Contestant

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Poonam Dhillon

• Poonam Dhillon at the Internet Movie Database
• Poonam Dhillon on Twitter