Mumbai, June 13 (AHN) Veteran actress Poonam Dhillon reveals she had very strict parents and that she was not allowed to date people. She agrees that a strict upbringing is good, but today I children should be given an opportunity.

The actress was on the show Tum Ho Naa hosted by Rajeev Khandelwal.

Asking about her struggles, Rajeev asked: “It feels like all the girls must be inspired by you. But whenever a public figure comes here, I try to ensure that people understand at least this much, that we are all normal human beings. We have our challenges too, and sometimes perhaps even bigger challenges because we live in the public spotlight.

To which, Poonam said in a statement: “Jab aap ek celebrity ya public figure hote hain aur Monday to Friday ya Monday to Sunday kaam kar rahe hote hain, toh aapko bahut kam logon se milne ka mauka milta hai. Half the people aapko aise dekhte hain ki ‘yeh toh meri pahunch ke bahar hai,’ aur aadhe log sochte hain ‘film stars aise hi hote hain.’ Dono situations mein aapki ek alag image ban jaati hai.”

(“When you are a celebrity or public figure and are working from Monday to Friday, or Monday to Sunday, you get very few opportunities to meet people. Half the people look at you as if ‘this person is beyond my reach,’ and the other half think, ‘film stars are just like that.’ In both situations, a different image of you gets created.”)

She went on to add that in her case, she could meet few people.

Poonam added: “Mere case mein bhi aisa hi hua tha. Hum bahut kam logon se mil paate the. Mere parents bahut strict the. Mujhe apni age ke logon se milne ya date karne ki permission nahi thi. Actor banne ke baad bhi actors mujhe friend nahi maante the. Agar koi group movie dekhne ka plan banata tha toh mujhe kaha jaata tha, “No, you are not allowed to go.”

(“The same happened in my case. We could meet very few people. My parents were very strict. I was not allowed to meet or date people of my own age. Even after becoming an actor, other actors did not consider me a friend. If a group planned to go watch a movie together, I would be told, ‘No, you are not allowed to go.”)

Talking about strict upbringing, Poonam says, “Mujhe lagta hai strict upbringing achhi hoti hai, lekin aaj main parents se kahungi ki bachchon ko thoda sa mauka dijiye. Unhe thoda udne dijiye, explore karne dijiye, taaki woh sahi decisions lena seekh sakein. Agar hum unhe bahut zyada protect karenge toh unka worldview bahut restricted ho jaata hai.”

(I think a strict upbringing is good, but today I would tell parents to give their children a little opportunity. Let them spread their wings a little, let them explore, so that they can learn to make the right decisions. If we protect them too much, their worldview becomes very restricted.)

Poonam said that her life too was limited to work and home.

She said: “Main bahut logon se nahi mil paayi. Mere husband Ashok bahut achhe insaan hain. Main aaj bhi unki burai nahi karungi kyunki woh genuinely a nice human being hain. Lekin har do achhe log ek achha couple ban jaayein, zaroori nahi hai. Shaadi sirf do achhe logon ke saath hone se nahi chalti. Bahut saari cheezein match honi chahiye – upbringing, attitude, education, values. Jab yeh sab compatible nahi hota, toh journey mushkil ho jaati hai.”

(I was not able to meet many people. My husband Ashok is a very good human being. Even today I will not speak ill of him because he is genuinely a nice human being. But not every two good people need to make a good couple.”)

(“A marriage does not work simply because two good people are together. Many things need to match upbringing, attitude, education, values. When all of these are not compatible, the journey becomes difficult.)

Poonma shared about her marriage and said that hers was a “love marriage.”

“I did not have much life experience. Ashok ji pursued me a lot, and he was a very good person, so I felt that this was the right choice. But at that time, I did not know how difficult the journey ahead would be,” she said.

Tum Ho Naa Ghar Ki Superstar airs on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.