Poonam Dhillon

Poonam Dhillon (born 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. 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), Karma (1986), Naam (1986).

Dhillon participated in Bigg Boss in 2009 and was seen playing the lead role of Sharda Modi in the Sony TV series Ekk Nayi Pehchaan in 2013.

The first time Dhillon gained fame was when she got crowned Miss Young India 1978 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 and together, they performed in Dard, Nishaan, Zamana and Awam and Red Rose, Jai Shiv Shankar. She featured in six films opposite Rajesh Khanna.

She did a cameo in Judaai 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 been in Hindi theater, The Perfect Husband which won the best comedy play award in 2005 and which completed Golden Jubilee run. She then did two plays The Perfect Wife co-starring Sooraj Thapar and Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi with Asif Sheikh. Currently she is doing a play called "U TURN" which is the Hindi vesion of a Marathi play.

Dhillon ventured into the make-up van business, pioneering the concept in the Indian film industry. She runs a make-up van company, "VANITY". Coming from an academic family where her father was an aeronautical engineer, her mother was Principal in a school, and her two siblings and both doctors. Poonam did her graduation after joining Films at age 16. Currently she is doing her MBA in International Business. 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 runner-up on the show.

She has been a prominent speaker at SAARC business summit at Kathmandu and Delhi and was appointed as cultural ambassador. She was also a speaker at the MINDMINE event. She did a show to "Save and Empower the Girl Child" with Lilavati Hospital.

Recently she has also launched an event and film production company, Poetic Justice Films Pvt Ltd.

Poonam Dhillon's Filmography with Super Star Rajesh Khanna :

1. Jai Shiv Shankar (1990) :
2. Avam (1987) : as Sushma
3. Zamana (1985) : as Sheetal
4. Nishan (1983) :
5. Dard (1981) : as Poonam Bhargav
6. Red Rose (1980)  : Sharda