# Pooja Kumar > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pooja_Kumar > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pooja_Kumar.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pooja_Kumar > Source revision: 1349381412 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American actress}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Pooja Kumar | image = Pooja Kumar at Promotions of 'Vishwaroop' with Videocon (01) (cropped).jpg | alt = Pooja Kumar wearing a white low-cut top, staring intently left of camera | caption = Kumar in 2013 | birth_date = | birth_place = [St. Louis, Missouri](/source/St._Louis%2C_Missouri), US | spouse = {{marriage|Vishal Joshi|October 17, 1999}}{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/pooja-kumar-is-now-mom-to-a-baby-girl/articleshow/80066410.cms?from=mdr|title=Pooja Kumar is now mom to a baby girl|newspaper=The Times of India |date=January 2, 2021}} | children = 1{{Cite web|url=https://jfwonline.com/article/congratulations-vishwaroopam-actress-pooja-kumar-blessed-with-a-baby-girl/|title=Congratulations: Vishwaroopam Actress Pooja Kumar Blessed with a Baby Girl!}} | other_names = | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1997–present | known_for = }} '''Pooja Kumar''' is an American actress of Indian descent who works in Tamil, Hindi, and English-language Indian films. After winning [Miss India USA](/source/Miss_India_USA) in 1995, she pursued a career as an actress and producer. She has appeared in a number of American films and shows, including ''[Man on a Ledge](/source/Man_on_a_Ledge)'', ''[Brawl in Cell Block 99](/source/Brawl_in_Cell_Block_99)'', ''[Bollywood Hero](/source/Bollywood_Hero)'', ''[Flavors](/source/Flavors_(film))'', ''Hiding Divya'', ''Park Sharks'', ''[Bollywood Beats](/source/Bollywood_Beats)'', ''[Night of Henna](/source/Night_of_Henna)'', ''Anything for You'', ''Drawing with Chalk'', and ''Knots Urbane''. Her Indian films include ''[Vishwaroopam](/source/Vishwaroopam)'' and ''[Vishwaroopam 2](/source/Vishwaroopam_2)'', and she made her Telugu-language debut with ''[PSV Garuda Vega](/source/PSV_Garuda_Vega)''. ==Early life== Pooja Kumar was born in [St. Louis, Missouri](/source/St._Louis%2C_Missouri).{{cite web |url=https://www.stlmag.com/news/Pooja-Kumar-St-Louis-Bollywood/ |publisher=St. Louis |date=March 20, 2015 |title=Pooja Kumar Goes From St. Louis to Bollywood}} Her parents, Ravinder and Nirupama, immigrated from India in 1970.{{Cite web|url=https://www.seema.com/everything-you-want-to-know-about-pooja-kumar/|title=Everything You Want to Know About Pooja Kumar|first=Habibur|last=Shohon|date=December 28, 2022}} She attended [Washington University](/source/Washington_University_in_St._Louis), where she graduated with degrees in [political science](/source/political_science) and [finance](/source/finance). She is also trained in [Indian classical dance](/source/Indian_classical_dance). Kumar won [Miss India USA](/source/Miss_India_USA) in 1995.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/miss-india-usa-1995-pooja-kumar-courts-forbidden-love-in-her-ott-outing/cid/1796414 |work=[The Telegraph](/source/The_Telegraph_(Kolkata)) |date=November 3, 2020 |title=Miss India USA 1995 Pooja Kumar courts forbidden love in her ott outing}} ==Career== Kumar first signed on to appear in director [Keyaar](/source/Keyaar)'s Tamil film ''[Kadhal Rojave](/source/Kadhal_Rojave)'' in 1997, but the film's production delays meant that it was only released in 2000 and her stint as an actress in the Tamil film industry went unnoticed.{{Cite web |url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/People/97/Dec/kuttisp1.htm |title=1997-98 Kodambakkam babies Page |access-date=February 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201551/http://indolink.com/tamil/cinema/People/97/Dec/kuttisp1.htm |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=usurped}} She was earlier signed and then left out of the 1997 film ''[V. I. P](/source/V._I._P._(1997_film))'', while she had also signed to appear alongside [Karthik](/source/Karthik_(actor)) in Chithra Lakshmanan's ''[Chinna Raja](/source/Chinna_Raja)'', but was eventually dropped from the project.{{cite web |url=http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Specials/97/Oct/a-z/atoz-2.htm |title=A-Z (Ii) |access-date=February 27, 2015 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128025921/http://www.indolink.com/tamil/cinema/Specials/97/Oct/a-z/atoz-2.htm |archive-date=January 28, 2015 }} In 2003, she received the [Screen Actors Guild](/source/Screen_Actors_Guild) Emerging Actress Award for ''Flavors''. In 2008, she hosted a late-night live [quiz show](/source/quiz_show) on [Zee TV](/source/Zee_TV) in India, known as ''Jaago Aur Jeeto''. She appeared in the musical comedy miniseries ''[Bollywood Hero](/source/Bollywood_Hero)'' on [IFC](/source/Independent_Film_Channel) in 2008. She starred opposite ''[Saturday Night Live](/source/Saturday_Night_Live)'' comedian [Chris Kattan](/source/Chris_Kattan) in the three-part series. In the late 2000s, she appeared in the Pakistani drama serial ''[Ishq Junoon Deewangi](/source/Ishq_Junoon_Deewangi)'' (2009). After a long gap, she reappeared onscreen in the film 2013 ''[Vishwaroopam](/source/Vishwaroopam)''. ==Personal life== Kumar is married to Vishal Joshi. They have a daughter, born in 2020.{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/pooja-kumar-is-now-mom-to-a-baby-girl/articleshow/80066410.cms |work=The Times of India |title=Pooja Kumar is now mom to a baby girl |date=January 2, 2021}} ==Selected filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Sronly|List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown}} |- ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Language !! Notes |- |2000 || ''[Kadhal Rojavae](/source/Kadhal_Rojavae)'' || Pooja || [Tamil](/source/Tamil_language)|| |- |2003 || ''[Magic Magic 3D](/source/Magic_Magic_3D)'' || Deepti || Tamil || |- |2003 || ''[Flavors](/source/Flavors_(film))'' || Rachana || English || |- |2005 || ''[Night of Henna](/source/Night_of_Henna)'' || Hava || English|| |- |2006 || ''Hiding Divya'' || Palini Shah ||English|| |- |rowspan="3"|2009 || ''[Bollywood Beats](/source/Bollywood_Beats)'' || Laxmi ||English|| |- | ''Knots Urbane'' || Rachna ||English|| |- | ''Park Sharks'' || Pri ||English|| |- |rowspan="3"|2010 ||''Anything For You'' || Uma Krishnan ||English|| |- | ''[Anjaana Anjaani](/source/Anjaana_Anjaani)'' || Peshto || [Hindi](/source/Hindi)|| |- | ''Drawing With Chalk'' || Jasmine || English|| |- |rowspan="1"|2012 || ''[Man on a Ledge](/source/Man_on_a_Ledge)'' ||Nina || English|| |- |rowspan="2"|2013 || ''[Vishwaroopam](/source/Vishwaroopam)'' || rowspan="2" | Dr. Nirupama Viswanath || Tamil || |- | ''[Vishwaroop](/source/Vishwaroopam)'' || Hindi || |- |rowspan="1"|2015|| ''[Uthama Villain](/source/Uthama_Villain)'' || Parveen/ Karpagavalli ||Tamil || |- |rowspan="1"|2016 || ''[Meen Kuzhambum Mann Paanaiyum](/source/Meen_Kuzhambum_Mann_Paanaiyum)'' || Mala || Tamil || |- |rowspan="2"|2017 || ''[PSV Garuda Vega](/source/PSV_Garuda_Vega)'' || Swathi || Telugu || |- | ''[Brawl in Cell Block 99](/source/Brawl_in_Cell_Block_99)'' || Denise Pawther|| English|| |- |rowspan="2"|2018 || ''[Vishwaroopam II](/source/Vishwaroopam_II)'' || rowspan=2|Dr. Nirupama Viswanath || Tamil || |- |''[Vishwaroop II](/source/Vishwaroopam_II)'' || Hindi || |- |2020 |''[Forbidden Love](/source/Forbidden_Love_(2020_web_series))'' |Anamika |Hindi | |} ===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Sronly|List of television appearances, with year, title, and role shown}} |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 2007 | ''[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit](/source/Law_%26_Order%3A_Special_Victims_Unit)'' | Debbi Channor | 1 episode |- | 2011 | ''[Chuck](/source/Chuck_(TV_series))'' | Jinsana | 1 episode |- | 2021 | ''[Never Have I Ever](/source/Never_Have_I_Ever_(TV_series))'' | Noor Qureshi | 1 episode |} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category}} * {{IMDb name|1136881}} * [http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2004/feb/10lead.htm "Pooja Kumar the face of Bombay Dreams"] Rediff – February 10, 2004 * Rohit, Parimal M. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100828094915/http://bollywood.buzzine.com/2009/07/pooja-kumar-the-new-heroine/ "Pooja Kumar – The New Heroine: Rising Star Ready for Primetime with 'Bollywood Hero'"], ''Bollywood Buzzine'' July 2009 {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Pooja}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Actresses from St. Louis Category:Female models from Missouri Category:American film actresses Category:American television actresses Category:American female models Category:American actresses of Indian descent Category:American female models of Indian descent Category:American expatriate actresses in India Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema Category:21st-century American actresses Category:Washington University in St. Louis alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pooja Kumar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pooja_Kumar) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pooja_Kumar?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.