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Poonam Pandey Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 13, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth11 March 1991

Age34 Years

BirthplaceKanpur, India

ProfessionActress

NationalityIndian

Marital statusSeparated

SpouseSam Bombay

FamilyFather - Shobhanath Pandey; Mother - Vidhya Pandey; Brother - Nilesh Pandey; Sister - Shraddha Pandey

Poonam Pandey Biography

Poonam Pandey is an Indian model and actress who first rose to public attention through provocative publicity and calendar work. She made her film debut in

Early life and background

Poonam Pandey was born on 11 March 1991 in Kanpur, India, and grew up with ties to Delhi as her hometown. Her parents are Shobhanath Pandey and Vidhya Pandey. She has a younger brother, Nilesh Pandey, and a sister, Shraddha Pandey. From an early age she moved into modelling; she has said her parents were initially surprised by her career choices but later accepted them.

Career

Pandey began modelling as a teenager and gained visibility through calendar shoots, including appearances in the Gladrags calendar and the Kingfisher calendar. She transitioned into on-screen work and made her Bollywood debut in the film Nasha (2013). Earlier television and reality appearances include Khatron Ke Khiladi (2011) and the TV serial Total Nadaniyaan (2015). In 2022 she returned to reality television as a contestant on Lock Upp, a show produced by Ekta Kapoor and hosted by Kangana Ranaut.

Her public persona has been shaped by provocative publicity stunts and outspoken statements intended to draw attention. She has spoken about using controversy to establish her identity and obtain recognition in an industry where established names dominate public awareness. Pandey has also discussed ambitions to perform roles that differ from her public image, including traditional sartorial looks.

Public profile

Physical details widely reported for Pandey list her height at approximately 168 cm (5'6"), weight near 56 kg (123 lbs), and measurements around 36-26-34. She has brown eyes and black hair. Her zodiac sign is Pisces. Pandey has expressed interests such as yoga, meditation and online shopping.

Her public life has included several legal and media episodes that received wide coverage. In November 2020 she was arrested in North Goa after filming a nude video on government property. She has been involved in disputes over content and apps that featured her name or images, including a complaint she filed in 2019 regarding an application that she said misused her phone number and a tagline; that matter led to petitions and legal steps. In December 2022 the Supreme Court of India granted anticipatory bail to her and others in connection with an FIR alleging distribution of pornographic videos. In 2017 an application containing information about her was removed from Google Play, and she publicly responded about continuing distribution from her website.

Pandey has also been involved in highly publicised personal legal matters. She married Sam Bombay (also reported as Sam Ahmed Bombay) on 1 September 2020. Within weeks she filed a police complaint alleging assault by her husband; he was arrested following the first complaint, and further complaints and arrests were reported in subsequent months. Pandey later described severe personal distress and disclosed attempts at self-harm during and after the relationship. Reports indicate the marital status is listed as separated.

Controversies have occurred at multiple points in her career. Early on, during the 2011 Cricket World Cup, she announced she would strip if India won and later released semi-nude images when official permission to perform a public strip was not granted. She has been associated with other provocative image releases tied to sporting events and film promotions, which at times prompted public protests and legal scrutiny. In 2014 she was questioned by Mumbai Police for allegedly indecent behaviour while driving.

Pandey has also been involved in disputes over alleged fake social media posts and impersonations, and in February 2024 she and her husband faced a defamation suit and FIR related to a staged fake-death post used, according to reports, for cervical cancer awareness; she later posted videos saying she was alive and that the action was meant to raise awareness.

Latest updates

In 2022 Pandey appeared on Lock Upp, expressing admiration for outspoken women in entertainment and discussing her desire to work with Ekta Kapoor. Legal developments and public controversies continued into the mid-2020s, including anticipatory bail in a case linked to distribution of explicit material and the 2024 defamation and FIR matters connected to a fake death post. She remains a high-profile and polarising figure in Indian popular culture, frequently in the headlines for both professional projects and personal legal issues.
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Recent Work

Lock Upp (contestant)

Contestant on the 2022 reality series produced by Ekta Kapoor and hosted by Kangana Ranaut.

2022
Nasha

Bollywood film debut.

2013
Khatron Ke Khiladi (contestant)

Reality show appearance.

2011
Total Nadaniyaan

Television serial appearance.

2015
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Career Highlights

  1. Modelling work including Gladrags and Kingfisher calendars
  2. Bollywood debut in Nasha (2013)
  3. Contestant on Khatron Ke Khiladi (2011) and Lock Upp (2022)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Poonam Pandey born?

11 March 1991

What is Poonam Pandey known for?

Actress

What is Poonam Pandey’s marital status?

Separated

Who is Poonam Pandey married to?

Sam Bombay