- Bollywood actress Alaya F, daughter of ’90s star Pooja Bedi and businessman Farhan Furniturewala, often shares insights about her personal and professional life. In a recent interview with Bollywood Bubble, she opened up about her parents’ divorce and how it shaped her life.
Parents’ Relationship and Divorce
Pooja Bedi married Farhan Furniturewala, a Gujarati Muslim of Parsi and Khoja descent, in 1994. Upon marriage, Pooja converted to Islam and took the name Noorjahan. Alaya shared that her parents maintained a cordial relationship even after their divorce, which had a significant impact on her perception of divorce.
“My parents were going their separate ways, but I would see them all the time. They were very friendly with each other. To this day, they are great friends,” Alaya said. She also mentioned that her mother attended her father’s second marriage and that she is very close to her stepmother and half-brother.
Positive Perspective on Divorce
Alaya explained that because her parents handled their separation amicably, she never saw divorce as a negative event. “In my head, divorce was never really a bad thing because my parents handled their divorce so beautifully. When my other friend was going through something similar, I didn’t think it was a big deal. I was like, ‘Yeah, it will be good for you, it will be great for your family’ because that’s generally how I thought about divorce,” she stated.
Impact on Alaya’s Life and Career
Alaya’s upbringing in a supportive environment influenced her outlook on life. She studied at Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai and is the granddaughter of actor Kabir Bedi and classical dancer Protima Bedi. Her family background and the positive handling of her parents’ divorce helped her maintain good relationships with both parents.
Alaya made her Bollywood debut with “Jawaani Jaaneman” alongside Saif Ali Khan and Tabu. Since then, she has impressed fans with her performances in films such as “Freddy,” “Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat,” “U-Turn,” and “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.” She is currently enjoying the success of her latest release, “Srikanth,” with Rajkummar Rao.
