Mumbai, June 20 (IANS) Miss India 2009 and actress Pooja Chopra’s mother revealed a heart wrenching story of the tough times she encountered post Pooja’s birth.
In an emotional conversation on the reality show, Tum Ho Naa – Ghar Ki Superstar, Pooja’s mother Neera was seen revealing the heartbreaking story to host Rajeev Khandelwal.
She shared her journey of raising two daughters against all odds and the hardships she endured before witnessing them achieve success.
Recalling her early years after marriage, Neera shared, “Jab shaadi hui toh sasural bahut hi accha th, hum bahut middle-class the, shaadi ke baad mein matlab hum yahan se yahan pahunch gaye. Pehli beti hui, okay, sab ka ravayya okay-okay tha. Uske baad ek dedh saal ki thi beti toh mother-in-law ko cancer hua. Unko main nahlaate hue aisa bolti thi ki, ‘Mummy sab theek hoga na?’ Toh she told me ki, ‘Agar tumhare beta ho jayega na toh mahaul bahut accha ho jayega.’”
(When I got married, my in-laws were very good. We were a middle-class family, and after marriage, we really moved from one situation to another. My first daughter was born, and everyone’s behaviour was okay. After that, when my daughter was about one and a half years old, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. While taking care of her and bathing her, I used to ask, ‘Mummy, everything will be fine, right?’ She used to tell me, ‘If you have a son, then the atmosphere in the house will become much better)
Years later, when her second daughter Pooja Chopra was born, she mentioned how life took a painful turn that broke her from within. Speaking about that difficult period, she revealed, “Saat saal baad meri badi beti saat saal ki hui toh mere ko doosri beti hui aur woh matlab accha nahi tha. Teen din tak mere ko hospital mein koi dekhne ko nahi aaya. Bachche ke kapde aaya chillaati thi ki bachche ne ganda kiya. Saamne ek aur officer ki wife thi, uska second beta tha, toh usne apne bachche ke kapde aaya ko diye ki iske bachche ko pehna do.”
(After seven years, when my elder daughter was seven years old, I had my second daughter, but the situation was not good. For three days, no one even came to see me in the hospital. The attendant would shout saying the baby had soiled herself. In front of me, there was another officer’s wife who had a second son, and she gave her baby’s clothes to the attendant and said, ‘Make her baby wear these)
She further added, “Das din baad mere husband aaye lene ke liye. Matlab koi khushi nahi, bachche ko uthaya nahi, dekha nahi. Ghar pe gayi toh gyaarahve din se kaam-vaam shuru karaya.” (After ten days, my husband came to take me back. There was no happiness at all, he didn’t even pick up or look at the baby. When I went home, I was made to start working from the eleventh day itself.)
The most heartbreaking moment came when Neera revealed the pressure she faced after her daughter’s birth. She shared, “Jab 20 din ho gaye aur mere ko har roz bolte the ki isko khatam kar do, ya anath ashram mein daal do… arrey maa hoon, kaise karoon aisa?” (When 20 days had passed, I was told every day to either end this child or leave her in an orphanage… I am a mother, how could I do something like that?)
Determined to protect her child, she made the life-changing decision to walk away. “21 din ki bachchi ko lekar main ghar se nikal gayi. Apna ghar chhod diya,” she recalled. (I left my home with my 21-day-old baby in my arms,” she recalled)
With just ₹81 in her purse and two daughters by her side, Neera arrived in Mumbai hoping to rebuild her life. Recalling that phase, she said, “Jab main Kolkata se Bombay aayi, mere parents yahin the. Dono bachchon ko lekar, ek saat saal ki beti haath mein pakadkar, 81 rupaye in my purse aur 21 din ki beti ko lekar main aa gayi. Aur I’m sorry, without ticket.” (When I came from Kolkata to Bombay, my parents were already here. I came with both my childrenholding my seven-year-old daughter’s hand, with only ₹81 in my purse, and my 21-day-old baby in my arms. And I’m sorry… I even came without a ticket)
Recalling those difficult days, she shared how she walked into a five-star hotel in search of a job, not knowing where else to turn. Sharing the incident, Neera recalled, “Main bahut desperate thi job ke liye. Main ek five-star hotel gayi thi. Wahan mujhe Mrs. Mona Chawla mili, bahut achhi personality thi. Mujhe toh ye bhi nahi maloom tha ki woh kaam karti hain ya director hain. Maine seedha jaake bola, ‘Ma’am please give me a job. Ma’am I need a job.’”
(I was very desperate for a job. I went to a five-star hotel where I met Mrs. Mona Chawla, who had a very kind personality. I didn’t even know whether she was an employee or a director. I directly went up to her and said, ‘Ma’am, please give me a job. Ma’am, I need a job.)
Neera then recalled an unusual test that followed. “Phir unhone bola, ‘Mere cabin mein kya kharab hai?’ Maine bola, ‘Ma’am, AC bahut noisy hai aur carpet bhi saaf nahi hai.’” (Then she asked me, ‘What is wrong in my cabin?’ I replied, ‘Ma’am, the AC is very noisy and the carpet is not clean.)
Impressed by her observation and honesty, Mrs. Chawla offered her the job and asked her to join the very next day.
Despite earning just ₹900 a month, Neera continued to push forward. “Us waqt meri salary 900 rupaye thi. Maine mummy ko bola, ‘Main poora paisa de dungi, bas mere bachchon ke doodh ke liye thoda sa rakhungi.’”
(At that time, my salary was ₹900. I told my mother, ‘I will give you the entire amount, just keep a little for my children’s milk)
Years of perseverance eventually transformed her life. Looking back at the difficult road she travelled, Neera shared, “Aise hi karke maine chhe saal (6 years) nikale. Uske baad mujhe Goa mein job mili, 900 se 6000 rupaye ki job mili aur uske baad zindagi patri par aayi.”
(This is how I managed for six years. After that, I got a job in Goa, where my salary increased from ₹900 to ₹6,000, and then life finally came back on track.)
Speaking about her daughters, her voice filled with pride and emotion. “Main sachchi bolti hoon, agar janam hote hain baar-baar, toh main upar wale ko yahi bolti hoon ki jitne janam de, mujhe yeh dono betiyan wapas dena.”
(I truly say that if we are born again and again, then I would tell God to give me these two daughters in every life)
Recalling the day she left her home, Neera revealed the promise she had made to herself. “Main palat ke dekha aur maine unko bola ki, ‘Aap mere ko is beti ke liye nikaal rahe ho na, one day this girl will make me proud.’ Aur believe karo Rajeev, aaj meri beti ne mujhe proud kiya.”
(I looked back and told them, ‘You are throwing me out because of this daughter, right? One day, this girl will make me proud.’ And believe me, Rajeev, today my daughter has made me proud)
–IANS
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