Pooja Bhatt opens up on her failed marriage with Manish Makhija, talks about battle with alcoholism

Known for speaking her mind, Pooja Bhatt recently shared details about her personal journey at a book launch. She talked about her unsuccessful marriage, her comeback to the entertainment industry with the web series Bombay Begums, and her successful fight against alcoholism.

Pooja Bhatt on her failed marriage 

Pooja recently attended the book launch of Unchain My Heart, where she answered several questions about her personal life. Talking about her failed marriage with Manish Makhija, the actress said, “I found myself in a marriage that was crumbling. It wasn’t crumbling because of any painful situation, it was rather boring, and neither of us cheated or was interested in it. As a woman, I realized that I lost myself in the process while ticking the box that the society has set for me.” 

She added that it took her some time to come to the conclusion of getting a divorce as the marriage wasn’t working for her. “It took me sometime to realise that I am trapped in a marriage that wasn’t working for me. I lost my femininity. I forgot who I was. He was a perfectly wonderful man but there was a loneliness in my soul,” said Pooja. 

Pooja Bhatt on her alcohol addiction 

In the same conversation, the Sadak star talked candidly about her battle with alcoholism and how she had turned to drink as a coping method. According to her, she was trying to numb the pain with alcohol, which did not work in her favour. But, eventually she learned to manage her pain, emptiness, and agony, which resulted in something wonderful. Now, she has been sober for the past seven years. 

Pooja Bhatt played her first leading role in Mahesh Bhatt's television film Daddy in 1989. Her breakthrough role, however, came with the romance comedy Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991), which also emerged as her highest-grossing release. Most recently, she was part of a reality show, where she emerged as the 4th runner-up.