# Poonam Sinha
**Poonam Sinha** (पूनम सिन्हा; born Poonam Chandiramani, 1949) is an Indian film actress and producer who worked in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) of the 1970s under the screen name **Komal** (कोमल), left acting after her 1980 marriage to the actor and politician [Shatrughan Sinha](https://www.edgepedia.org/shatrughan-sinha) (शत्रुघ्न सिन्हा), and returned to the screen in [Ashutosh Gowariker](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashutosh-gowariker)'s *Jodhaa Akbar* (2008).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/poonam-sinha/credits/3000635381/) • [3](https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/poonam-sinha-a-model-an-actress-a-homemaker-and-now-a-politician-2196120.html) In 2019 she contested the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat as the Samajwadi Party candidate against the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.[4](https://indianexpress.com/elections/poonam-sinha-shatrughan-sinha-lucknow-uttar-pradesh-rajnath-singh-lok-sabha-elections-2019-pm-modi-5705193/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949, Hyderabad, India, to a Sindhi family[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/) • [5](https://www.livehindustan.com/entertainment/story-poonam-sinha-has-joined-samajwadi-party-miss-world-dream-girl-hit-films-2491833.html) |
| Birth and screen names | Poonam Chandiramani; screen name Komal[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/poonam-sinha/credits/3000635381/) • [6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) |
| Pageant and debut | Miss Young India 1968; film debut in 1969 as Komal in *Jigri Dost*[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) |
| Active span | 1969 to 2008, with a roughly 30-year break after her 1980 marriage[7](https://www.allmovie.com/artist/poonam-sinha-an975672/filmography) • [3](https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/poonam-sinha-a-model-an-actress-a-homemaker-and-now-a-politician-2196120.html) |
| Marriage | Married Shatrughan Sinha on 9 July 1980; twins Luv and Khush born 1983, daughter Sonakshi born 1987[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) • [8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/when-shatrughan-sinha-explained-why-he-married-poonam-despite-his-affair-with-reena-roy-i-was-compelled-9714735/) |
| Production | Associate producer on *Prem Geet* (1981); producer on *Dil Leke Dekho* (2006); started the production house Shotgun Movies[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/poonam-sinha/credits/3000635381/) • [6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/) |
| Politics | Samajwadi Party candidate from Lucknow in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, aged 69[4](https://indianexpress.com/elections/poonam-sinha-shatrughan-sinha-lucknow-uttar-pradesh-rajnath-singh-lok-sabha-elections-2019-pm-modi-5705193/) |
## Early life and entry into films
Poonam Chandiramani was born in 1949 in [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad); the Hindi-language Hindustan report identifies her family background as Sindhi.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/) • [5](https://www.livehindustan.com/entertainment/story-poonam-sinha-has-joined-samajwadi-party-miss-world-dream-girl-hit-films-2491833.html) MyNation records her schooling at Our Lady Queen of Mission School, Kolkata.[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24)
She began modeling in 1968 and won the Miss Young India title that year.[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) • [5](https://www.livehindustan.com/entertainment/story-poonam-sinha-has-joined-samajwadi-party-miss-world-dream-girl-hit-films-2491833.html) Her acting debut came in 1969 under the screen name Komal in *Jigri Dost*, which IMDb describes as her biggest hit.[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/)
## Acting career
AllMovie credits her with a series of supporting parts through the 1970s: Renu Mehra in *Aadmi Aur Insaan* (1969), Renu in *Aag Aur Daag* (1971), Munish's date in *Shaitaan* (1974), and a role in *Dream Girl* (1977); she was credited as Poonam in *Darling Darling* (1977).[7](https://www.allmovie.com/artist/poonam-sinha-an975672/filmography) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide)'s credit list adds *Ghungroo* and *Dil Diwana*, and the Hindi Hindustan report adds *Sabak* to the filmography.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/poonam-sinha/credits/3000635381/) • [5](https://www.livehindustan.com/entertainment/story-poonam-sinha-has-joined-samajwadi-party-miss-world-dream-girl-hit-films-2491833.html) IMDb characterizes these as mostly small roles.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/)
After her 1980 wedding she left acting to raise the couple's three children, Luv, Kush, and Sonakshi.[3](https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/poonam-sinha-a-model-an-actress-a-homemaker-and-now-a-politician-2196120.html) She returned to films in 2008 with *Jodhaa Akbar*, after a gap of nearly three decades, playing Mallika Hamida Banu Begum; IMDb records that she accepted the offer from director Ashutosh Gowariker.[3](https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/poonam-sinha-a-model-an-actress-a-homemaker-and-now-a-politician-2196120.html) • [7](https://www.allmovie.com/artist/poonam-sinha-an975672/filmography) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/)
## Marriage and family
She met Shatrughan Sinha in 1965 during a journey from Patna to Mumbai, years before they worked together; the Indian Express describes her as his co-star in *Sabak* and notes the earlier train meeting.[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) • [8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/when-shatrughan-sinha-explained-why-he-married-poonam-despite-his-affair-with-reena-roy-i-was-compelled-9714735/) Both sources date their first meeting to 1965.[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) • [9](https://hindi.starsunfolded.com/poonam-sinha-hindi/) MyNation states the couple dated for about seven years before marrying on 9 July 1980.[6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24)
Their twins Luv and Khush were born in 1983 and their daughter Sonakshi in 1987.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/when-shatrughan-sinha-explained-why-he-married-poonam-despite-his-affair-with-reena-roy-i-was-compelled-9714735/) IMDb notes that the sons are named after the sons of Rama and Sita, and that Sonakshi became an actress.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/)
## Work as a producer
TV Guide credits her as associate producer on *Prem Geet*, and MyNation dates that film to 1981 and adds a producer credit on *Dil Leke Dekho* (2006).[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/poonam-sinha/credits/3000635381/) • [6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) IMDb records that she started the production house Shotgun Movies and lists her as producer of *Mera Dil Leke Dekho*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/)
## Political foray, 2019
Days after her husband quit the [Bharatiya Janata Party](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharatiya-janata-party) for the Congress, Poonam Sinha joined the [Samajwadi Party](https://www.edgepedia.org/samajwadi-party); MyNation dates her joining to 16 April 2019, with her Lucknow candidature announced the next day.[4](https://indianexpress.com/elections/poonam-sinha-shatrughan-sinha-lucknow-uttar-pradesh-rajnath-singh-lok-sabha-elections-2019-pm-modi-5705193/) • [6](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24) The mahagathbandhan fielded her, then 69, against Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, with her nomination to be filed on 18 April.[3](https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/poonam-sinha-a-model-an-actress-a-homemaker-and-now-a-politician-2196120.html) In an Indian Express interview she spoke of taking on [Rajnath Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajnath-singh) and of working with the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and the BSP's Mayawati.[4](https://indianexpress.com/elections/poonam-sinha-shatrughan-sinha-lucknow-uttar-pradesh-rajnath-singh-lok-sabha-elections-2019-pm-modi-5705193/) The Hindi StarsUnfolded profile reports that she lost the contest by approximately 347,302 votes.[9](https://hindi.starsunfolded.com/poonam-sinha-hindi/)
## By the numbers: a supporting-actress career in context
AllMovie places her active span at 1969 to 2008, but the span is split by a nearly three-decade interruption: about eleven years of acting before her 1980 marriage, then a single return appearance in 2008.[7](https://www.allmovie.com/artist/poonam-sinha-an975672/filmography) • [3](https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/poonam-sinha-a-model-an-actress-a-homemaker-and-now-a-politician-2196120.html) TV Guide lists eight acting credits in total, and the named roles in the databases are supporting parts rather than leads.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/poonam-sinha/credits/3000635381/) • [7](https://www.allmovie.com/artist/poonam-sinha-an975672/filmography) The documented contrast case among her contemporaries is [Reena Roy](https://www.edgepedia.org/reena-roy), who married the former Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan in 1983 and separated from him in 1992, a different post-marriage trajectory from Poonam Sinha's single marriage and her 2008 return to acting.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/when-shatrughan-sinha-explained-why-he-married-poonam-despite-his-affair-with-reena-roy-i-was-compelled-9714735/)
## References
1. [Poonam Sinha, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0464521/)
2. [Poonam Sinha credits, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/poonam-sinha/credits/3000635381/)
3. [Poonam Sinha: A model, an actress, a homemaker and now a politician, Zee News (2019)](https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/poonam-sinha-a-model-an-actress-a-homemaker-and-now-a-politician-2196120.html)
4. [BJP of today is arrogant, regret getting them elected to power in 2014: Poonam Sinha, The Indian Express (2019)](https://indianexpress.com/elections/poonam-sinha-shatrughan-sinha-lucknow-uttar-pradesh-rajnath-singh-lok-sabha-elections-2019-pm-modi-5705193/)
5. [पूनम सिन्हा: ड्रीम गर्ल, जोधा अकबर जैसी दे चुकी हैं कई हिट फिल्में, Live Hindustan (2019)](https://www.livehindustan.com/entertainment/story-poonam-sinha-has-joined-samajwadi-party-miss-world-dream-girl-hit-films-2491833.html)
6. [Poonam Sinha's Biography, MyNation](https://www.mynation.com/biography/poonam-sinha-biography-iwh-s2px24)
7. [Poonam Sinha filmography, AllMovie](https://www.allmovie.com/artist/poonam-sinha-an975672/filmography)
8. [When Shatrughan Sinha explained why he married Poonam, The Indian Express (2024)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/when-shatrughan-sinha-explained-why-he-married-poonam-despite-his-affair-with-reena-roy-i-was-compelled-9714735/)
9. [पूनम सिन्हा जीवन परिचय, StarsUnfolded (Hindi)](https://hindi.starsunfolded.com/poonam-sinha-hindi/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1970s–1980s › Surnames M to W*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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