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Poonam Dhillon Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 6, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth18 April 1962

Age62 Years

BirthplaceKanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

ProfessionActress, Businesswoman

NationalityIndian

Marital statusDivorced

SpouseAshok Thackeray (divorced in 1997)

FamilyChildren: Son - Anmol; Daughter - Paloma; Parents: Amrik Singh Dhillon and Gurcharan Kaur Dhillon

Poonam Dhillon Biography

Poonam Dhillon is an Indian actress and businesswoman whose career spans film, television and public speaking. A former Miss India, she rose to prominence,

Early life and background

Poonam Amrik Singh Dhillon was born on 18 April 1962 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and raised in Chandigarh. She attended Carmel Convent School in Chandigarh and went on to study at Panjab University. Later academic work includes programs at an international business institute in Brussels and further study at Jharkhand Rai University, where she was awarded a doctorate in May 2018. Her parents were Amrik Singh Dhillon, an aeronautical engineer in the Indian Air Force, and Gurcharan Kaur Dhillon, who worked as a school principal. She has siblings including a late brother, Baljinder Singh Dhillon, and a sister, Dr. Rishma Dhillon-Pai.

Career

Dhillon first came to public attention through beauty pageants, winning the Femina Miss India title in 1977 and Miss Young India in 1978. Filmmaker Yash Chopra cast her in the 1978 film Trishul, which marked her screen debut. She gained wider recognition after the 1979 film Noorie, a commercial success that also earned her a Filmfare nomination for best actress.

Over a career that has lasted more than four decades, Dhillon has appeared in more than 100 Hindi films and has also acted in regional productions, including Bengali, Kannada and Telugu projects. Notable titles from her filmography include Kaala Patthar, Red Rose, Biwi O Biwi, Yeh To Kamaal Ho Gaya, Teri Meharbaniya and Karma.

In addition to films, Dhillon has worked on television and stage. Her television credits include the series Ekk Nayi Pehchaan (2013) and she has performed in plays such as The Perfect Husband and The Perfect Wife. She won an Indian Telly Award for best supporting actress for her work in Ekk Nayi Pehchaan in 2015.

Beyond acting, Dhillon is a businesswoman who runs a company called Vanity that provides make-up vans for production needs. She has also taken on leadership and advocacy roles outside entertainment, speaking at SAARC summits and other forums on social issues including girls’ education, women’s empowerment and awareness about drugs and AIDS.

Public profile

Dhillon has combined artistic work with public engagement and politics. She has been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party and is active in social-awareness campaigns. In 2009 she participated in a televised reality show, finishing as second runner-up in Bigg Boss Season 3.

Her public persona reflects both her long career in mainstream cinema and her continued involvement in business and social causes. Physically, available public details list her height at approximately 5 feet 6 inches (167 cm) and her eye and hair colour as brown and black respectively.

Personal life

Poonam Dhillon married Ashok Thackeray in 1977; the marriage ended in divorce in 1997. The couple have two children, a son named Anmol and a daughter named Paloma. Her listed religious background is Sikhism and her caste is cited as Rajput.

Latest updates

In May 2024, Dhillon was appointed President of the Cine and TV Artistes Association (CINTAA). She continues to be active across film, television, business ventures and public speaking engagements.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Poonam Dhillon, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Ekk Nayi Pehchaan

Television series; earned her an Indian Telly Award for best supporting actress in 2015.

2013
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Career Highlights

  1. Won Femina Miss India (1977) and Miss Young India (1978)
  2. Made film debut in Trishul (1978)
  3. Received a Filmfare best actress nomination for Noorie (1979)
  4. Acted in more than 100 films across Hindi and regional languages
  5. Indian Telly Award for best supporting actress (2015)
  6. Awarded a PhD from Jharkhand Rai University (2018)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Poonam Dhillon born?

Poonam Dhillon was born on 18 April 1962.

What is Poonam Dhillon known for?

Poonam Dhillon is known for actress, Businesswoman.

What is Poonam Dhillon’s marital status?

Poonam Dhillon's marital status is listed as Divorced.

Who is Poonam Dhillon married to?

Poonam Dhillon is publicly listed as married to Ashok Thackeray (divorced in 1997).