Poonam Sinha

{{short description|Indian actress, fashion model, and politician}}

{{Infobox person

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|11|03|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, India

| birth_name = Poonam Chandiramani

| name = Poonam Sinha

| image = Poonam Sinha returns from IIFA 2012 07.jpg

| caption = Sinha in 2012

| party = Samajwadi Party

| othername = Komal

| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|politician}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Shatrughan Sinha|1980}}

| children = 3, including Sonakshi Sinha and Luv Sinha

| parents =

}}

Poonam Sinha (née Chandiramani; born 3 November 1949) is an Indian politician and former actress, fashion model. She acted in Hindi cinema under the screen name Komal in her early career. She was crowned Miss Young India in 1968. She is married to actor and politician Shatrughna Sinha. She worked in lead roles in Hindi movies and has also produced two films.{{cite news |title=Response is overwhelming, says Poonam Sinha |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Response-is-overwhelming-says-Poonam-Sinha/articleshow/4484022.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214039/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-05/patna/28160866_1_politics-film-personalities-role-models |url-status=live |archive-date=4 October 2013 |date=5 May 2009 |work=The Times of India |access-date=24 January 2013}}

Early life

Poonam was born in Hyderabad, in a Sindhi family as Poonam Chandiramani.Pradhan S. Bharati (12 June 2012), [https://web.archive.org/web/20120616205435/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120610/jsp/7days/story_15591857.jsp "It's work first for Sonakshi"], The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 June 2018.

Career

She was credited as Komal in all her films as heroine, including Jigri Dost, Dil Diwana and others. She was cast with Shatrughan Sinha in the movie Sabak (1973). The two later got married in 1980. They had earlier met in a train compartment while travelling.{{cite news |title=Shatrughan Sinha: The role of a lifetimeTNN |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Shatrughan-Sinha-The-role-of-a-lifetime/articleshow/15688686.cms |work=The Times of India |date=11 July 2002 |accessdate=24 January 2013}}

After her marriage, she largely left her acting career to raise their children.{{cite news |title=I gave up films for my kids: Poonam Sinha |url=http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/team-mom/i-gave-up-films-for-my-kids--poonam-sinha.html |publisher=Yahoo Lifestyle |date=25 April 2012 |accessdate=24 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818081117/http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/team-mom/i-gave-up-films-for-my-kids--poonam-sinha.html |archive-date=18 August 2012 |url-status=dead}} After a long gap of thirty years, she starred in the film Jodhaa Akbar (2008) playing Mallika Hamida Banu Begum—mother of Emperor Akbar, enacted by Hrithik Roshan, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.

= Politics =

On 16 April 2019, she joined the Samajwadi Party, while her husband Shatrughan Sinha joined Indian National Congress after resigning from BJP.{{cite news |title=Mr (Shatrughan) Sinha Joins Congress, Mrs (Poonam) Sinha Goes Samajwadi |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/shatrughan-sinhas-wife-poonam-sinha-joins-samajwadi-party-may-contest-from-lucknow-say-sources-2023905 |publisher=NDTV |date=16 April 2019}} She lost the Loksabha election to Rajnath Singh from Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency).{{cite news |title=Shatrughan Sinha's wife Poonam Sinha joins SP, will contest against Rajnath Singh from Lucknow |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/poonam-sinha-shatrughan-sinha-sp-rajnath-singh-lucknow-1503131-2019-04-16 |work=India Today |date=16 April 2019}}

Personal life

She is married to actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha. They have twin sons, actors Luv Sinha and Kush Sinha, and a daughter, Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha.{{cite web |title=Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha's first wife Poonam performs Chhath |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/shatrughan-sinhas-wife-poonam-performs-chhath/1/230045.html |date=20 November 2012 |work=India Today}}{{cite web |title=The women behind our heroes |author=Lata Khubchandani |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/the-women-behind-our-heroes-news-bollywood-kkftNxcbegi.html |date=7 March 2008 |website=Sify movies |access-date=24 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113233708/http://www.sify.com/movies/the-women-behind-our-heroes-news-bollywood-kkftNxcbegi.html |archive-date=13 January 2019 |url-status=dead}} She lives with her husband and children in their Juhu bungalow, Ramayan.{{Cite web |date=9 December 2020 |title=Sonakshi Sinha shares a perfect family picture on father Shatrughan Sinha's birthday |url=https://pressboltnews.com/sonakshi-sinha-shares-a-perfect-family-picture-on-father-shatrughan-sinhas-birthday/10098/ |access-date=7 July 2021 |website=PressboltNews |language=en-US}}

Sonakshi had said she lives with her family due to her being a mommy/daddy's girl and that she has all the space she needs at her parents' house and that her apartment is more of a studio.{{Cite web |date=13 November 2011 |title=Will stay with my parents: Sonakshi Sinha |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/will-stay-with-my-parents-sonakshi-sinha/story-Ib3rDeoRroLWFiYCa9ZviM.html |access-date=7 July 2021 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}