Pooja Kumar (model)
Encyclopedia
Pooja Kumar is an American actress, producer, model and television hostess. She was crowned Miss India USA
and has been a veejay for Channel V, a newsreader on the show Namaste America and has starred in such feature films as Kaadhal Rojave, Night of Henna
, Flavors, Hiding Divya, Park Sharks, Bollywood Beats, and Anything For You.
and her mother is from Lucknow
. She also has a younger brother Dr Paraag Kumar also a male model. She attended Washington University
where she graduated with degrees in political science
and finance
. Kumar is also trained in the Bharatanatyam
, Kuchipudi
, and Kathak
styles of Indian classical dance. She was crowned Miss India USA
in 1995.
. She has also produced a short film called "Shoot My Life". Kumar has also been seen in national TV commercials for Bombay Dreams
, Verizon, Dodge
, Pearle Vision, New York Lottery
, Tata True Roots, AOL Time Warner, and Outback Steakhouse
.
In 2003, she received the Screen Actors Guild
Emerging Actress Award for Flavors. In 2008, she hosted a late-night live quiz show
on Zee TV
in India
, known as Jaago Aur Jeeto. She appeared in the musical comedy miniseries Bollywood Hero
on the IFC
in 2008. She starred opposite Saturday Night Live
comedian Chris Kattan
in the three part series. In the late 2000s, she appeared in the Pakistan
i drama serial Ishq Junoon Dewaangi on Hum TV
.
Miss India
Miss India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant in India, one of the most recognized contests to produce international beauty queens in the 90s, which annually selects three winners to compete globally. It is organized by Femina, a women's magazine published by Bennett, Coleman & Co...
and has been a veejay for Channel V, a newsreader on the show Namaste America and has starred in such feature films as Kaadhal Rojave, Night of Henna
Night of Henna
Night of Henna is a comedy film directed by Hassan Zee , and is the first Pakistani-American feature film. The film stars Pooja Kumar, Reef Karim, Nancy Carlin, Suhail Tayyeb, Ponni Swaminathan Chesser, and Craig Marker.-Plot:...
, Flavors, Hiding Divya, Park Sharks, Bollywood Beats, and Anything For You.
Early life
Kumar was born into a Mathur family in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents are immigrants from India; her father is from DehradunDehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
and her mother is from Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
. She also has a younger brother Dr Paraag Kumar also a male model. She attended Washington University
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
where she graduated with degrees in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
. Kumar is also trained in the Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
, Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi is a Classical Indian dance form Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also popular all over South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Divi Taluka of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practicing this traditional dance form, it acquired the...
, and Kathak
Kathak
Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...
styles of Indian classical dance. She was crowned Miss India USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
in 1995.
Career
Kumar produced a short film, "1001 Auditions", that has been selected in eight film festivals, including being nominated for "Best Short" at the Stuttgart Film Festival in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She has also produced a short film called "Shoot My Life". Kumar has also been seen in national TV commercials for Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams is a Bollywood-themed musical, with music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black and the book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan,and produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London production opened in 2002 and ran for two years...
, Verizon, Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
, Pearle Vision, New York Lottery
New York Lottery
The New York Lottery began in 1967 as the third modern U.S. lottery, after Puerto Rico's began in 1934, and New Hampshire's in 1964. It provides revenue for public education, and is based in Schenectady.-History:...
, Tata True Roots, AOL Time Warner, and Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse is an American casual dining restaurant chain based in Tampa, Florida with over 1200 locations in 22 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It was founded in February 1988 in Tampa by Bob Basham, Chris T...
.
In 2003, she received the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
Emerging Actress Award for Flavors. In 2008, she hosted a late-night live quiz show
Quiz Show
Quiz Show is a 1994 American historical drama film produced and directed by Robert Redford. Adapted by Paul Attanasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America, the film is based upon the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s...
on Zee TV
Zee TV
Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which broadcasts various programmes in Hindi and other regional languages of India. Broadcasting is also present in various nations of South Asia, Europe, the Middle East,...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, known as Jaago Aur Jeeto. She appeared in the musical comedy miniseries Bollywood Hero
Bollywood Hero
Bollywood Hero is an American television miniseries which aired on the IFC in three parts on August 6-8, 2009. The miniseries was shot in Mumbai and Los Angeles....
on the IFC
Independent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
in 2008. She starred opposite Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
comedian Chris Kattan
Chris Kattan
Christopher Lee "Chris" Kattan is an American actor/comedian, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Kattan was born in Sherman Oaks, California. His father, Kip King, was an actor and voice actor who appeared on the series Reno 911! as Larrie Plum. His mother, Hajnalka E....
in the three part series. In the late 2000s, she appeared in the Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i drama serial Ishq Junoon Dewaangi on Hum TV
Hum TV
Hum TV is a 24-hour Pakistani entertainment TV channel based in Karachi. It is the first brand of Eye Television Network Limited, Pakistan. Hum TV began its transmission on January 17, 2005.-Serials:* Manay Na Ye Dil * Akhri Barish...
.
Filmography
- Kaadhal Rojave (2000)
- Chota Jadugar (2003)
- FlavorsFlavors (2003 film)Flavors is a 2004 romantic comedy film concerning Indian immigrants in America. It was written and directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK and is their second collaboration after Shaadi.com .- Plot :...
(2003) - The Kiss (2003)
- Night of HennaNight of HennaNight of Henna is a comedy film directed by Hassan Zee , and is the first Pakistani-American feature film. The film stars Pooja Kumar, Reef Karim, Nancy Carlin, Suhail Tayyeb, Ponni Swaminathan Chesser, and Craig Marker.-Plot:...
(2005) - "1001 Auditions" (2006)
- Hiding Divya (2006)
- The Man in My House (2007)
- Shoot My Life (2007)
- Anything For You (2008)
- Bollywood Beats (2009)
- Drawing With Chalk (2009)
- Ishq Junoon Dewaangi (2009)
- Park Sharks (2009)
- Anjaana AnjaaniAnjaana AnjaaniAnjaana Anjaani is a Hindi Romantic film directed by Siddharth Anand, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Zayed Khan. The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under his Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt. Ltd banner. The film's music has been composed by Vishal-Shekhar, who have...
(2010) - VishwaroopamVishwaroopamVishwaroopam is an upcoming bilingual spy thriller film to be written and directed by Kamal Haasan that features himself in the lead role. It's being filmed in Tamil and Hindi.-Cast:* Kamal Haasan* Pooja Kumar* Rahul Bose* Isha Sharvani...
(2012)
External links
- IMDb page
- Official website
- "Pooja Kumar the face of Bombay Dreams" Rediff - February 10, 2004
- Rohit, Parimal M. "Pooja Kumar – The New Heroine: Rising Star Ready for Primetime with 'Bollywood Hero'", Bollywood Buzzine July 2009