Today is the birthday of Monica Bedi, the beautiful actress from the 90s era of Bollywood. On this special occasion, let’s delve into Monica Bedi’s life story. How did Monica Bedi fall in love with underworld don Abu Salem, and how did she pay the price for that love? Not only did she spend several years in a foreign prison, but her career was also ruined. She also made headlines for her alleged affair with a cricketer.
Monica Bedi was born in Punjab
Monica Bedi was born on January 18, 1975, in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. She has a younger brother named Bobby. In 1979, her family moved to Norway, where she completed her schooling. Later, she studied English Literature at Oxford University. Initially, Monica Bedi wasn’t particularly interested in acting; she preferred dancing. She came to Mumbai to learn classical dance and began training under Gopi Guru. During a dance session, veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar noticed her talent. Impressed by her dancing, he launched her in the film ‘Kirita Man’ opposite his son Kunal Goswami. Manoj Kumar signed Monica Bedi to a three-year contract. Under this contract, she was not allowed to work on any other production’s films. Later, the production wasn’t successful, and Monica requested to be released from the contract. Manoj agreed, and she then started looking for new projects.
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Several films flopped
Monica’s first film, ‘Taj Mahal’, proved to be a big hit, leading to more offers from Telugu films. Her growing popularity soon caught the attention of Bollywood producers, and she made her Hindi film debut with ‘Suraksha’ (1995) opposite Saif Ali Khan. Lacking a mentor or strong support system in the industry, Monica signed several films without much planning. Unfortunately, films like ‘Aashiq Mastane’, ‘Khilona’, ‘Ek Phool Teen Kaante’, and ‘Tirchhi Topiwale’ flopped at the box office, impacting her career. During this time, she also performed stage shows in India and abroad.
Love affair with an underworld don and time in jail
During one of her shows in Dubai, Monica met underworld don Abu Salem. Their friendship soon blossomed into a romantic relationship. Abu used his influence to introduce Monica to prominent producers and directors in the film industry. As a result, she landed roles in films like ‘Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat’, ‘Tada’, and ‘Jodi No. 1’. Monica decided to leave the film industry to be with Abu Salem. In 2002, the couple went to Portugal, but were arrested for entering the country using forged documents. They spent nearly two and a half years in a Portuguese prison before being extradited to India. A CBI court sentenced Monica to five years in prison, which was later reduced to three years by the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Her return to television
After completing her prison sentence, Monica Bedi attempted a comeback by participating in reality shows like ‘Bigg Boss 2’ and ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’. She also acted in television serials like ‘Saraswatichandra’ and ‘Bandhan’. In addition, she acted in Punjabi films such as ‘Romeo Ranjha’, ‘Sirfirae’, and ‘Bandookan’. Monica still performs stage shows and regularly shares updates about her life on Instagram.
Linked to a cricketer
In 2020, Monica Bedi’s name was also linked to former Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin. There were reports of a relationship between the two, although these reports were never officially confirmed. Monica remains active in the film industry and continues to seek work. On her birthday today, fans remembered her and wished her on social media.
