It’s almost unheard of for a newcomer in B-town to create this kind of storm. From making bold and daring statements about her contemporaries and posing uninhibitedly naked on magazine covers to releasing her own uncensored bedroom and bathroom videos, the starlet has done it all. Though she has paid a high price for being a free spirit, Poonam Pandey remains undaunted; spending time with her is like going on a road trip, destination unknown, but exciting. Though people see her as just a bimbette who can look sexy, Ms P takes it in her stride and makes this conversation spicy and hot…like she is.
From being nobody to becoming Poonam Pandey – a controversial journey!
Wow! I like the way you framed it. I feel my journey has been like a typical Bollywood heroine who comes from a modelling background but unlike them, one incident – my running naked after Indian team’s World Cup victory – changed my life. Later, my name got embroiled in several controversies… famous toh hona hi tha!
You shot to fame by stripping. Was that the only way to get into Bollywood? Were you not ashamed of what people would think about you?
No, why would I be ashamed? Agar aapko ek cheez se itna faayda hua hai, toh us cheez se shame kyu hona hai? Those were my decisions and I stand by them. People will keep saying things and I’m also tired of giving explanations. It hardly matters to me now. If they think it was a desperate attempt, then I proudly accept it.
Your stripping has fetched you international fame. Akon and Jonty Rhodes (cricketer) expressed their wish to meet you. What makes you special?
Nothing special – I’m a normal person. The only special thing is that I love to do everything khullam khulla, even things that one is supposed to do in the bedroom or bathroom. That’s the difference, not my specialness (laughs loud). But this is what I am. Stripping is my habit and I can’t change it.
Any celebrity whose tweets you love to read?
Honestly speaking, more than following, I like to be followed. I like reading Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher’s interesting tweets. My tweethearts (Twitter followers) matter to me. Any celebrity writing something about me doesn’t matter to me as much as my fans and my followers do. I’m indebted to them for their love and blessings.
You’re bold enough to be considered taboo in our ‘liberal’ society. While a part of the Indian population admires you, another major chunk criticises you.…
The percentage of people who adore and love me is much higher than the group of people who dislike me and my work. If criticising me makes them happy, it’s their problem. I’ll do what I like and don’t really care what people think or write about me.
Some commercial B-town babes seem to be insecure about you – Chitrangda Singh called you a ‘man’ on Twitter and Bipasha Basu tweeted, ‘Today’s guys are losers’, to which you strongly reacted…
Yes, I remember the controversies. But I wonder whether it was Chitrangda and Bipasha’s original account and not fake! I personally like their work and I believe they wouldn’t get into something like this. Why will Chitrangda do that? I have got nothing to do with her and vice versa. Why fight in public? It only helped Chitrangda coz after that incident, her followers increased to a large extent. Maybe that was the way to gain followers?
Bollywood’s A-list filmmakers look down upon you as a mere sex object. Does that hurt?
Is it! I wouldn’t want to praise myself. But I would request those A-list filmmakers to watch Nasha. They would certainly get their answers.
Where does this confidence come from?
Mujhe bachpan se hi chote chote kapde pehenne ki aadat hai. So it’s not that one fine day I got some vardaan of confidence to strip and show my body. This is me. You can’t change yourself.
