Actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt has candidly discussed the real reasons behind the end of her 11-year marriage to former husband Manish Makhija, revealing that it was not infidelity or conflict but a profound sense of loneliness that prompted her to walk away.
No Third Person Involved
In a recent interview with Vickey Lalwani, Pooja addressed long-standing assumptions about their separation. Many assumed another person was involved, but she clarified: 'A lot of my friends asked me, "You've been married for 11 years. Why are you ending the marriage? Is there someone else?" The answer was no. There was nobody else. I wasn't even thinking about another person.'
Emotional Disconnection
According to Pooja, the marriage broke down due to emotional distance. 'I ended my marriage because I felt lonely in that relationship. When you are living with someone and still feel alone, that relationship has stopped being a relationship. You slowly lose each other while living under the same roof,' she shared.
She explained that while their bond was built on friendship and trust, over time they drifted apart. 'I told him that our relationship had begun with friendship and trust. I never looked over your shoulder and I never will. But I felt it was over. We had lost each other, and somewhere along the way, I had lost myself as a woman. I wanted myself back.'
Choosing Honesty Over Pretense
Pooja emphasized that continuing the marriage would have felt dishonest. 'It would have been a lie to continue the marriage, and I cannot live a lie,' she said.
She also took ownership of her happiness: 'I was very clear that I would not spend the rest of my life blaming another person for my unhappiness.'
The Most Important Relationship
Today, Pooja believes her most significant relationship is with herself. 'I am the captain of my own ship. I have been fortunate to have wonderful relationships in my life, but today I am enjoying the most profound and sacred relationship of all, the relationship I have with myself.'
Motherhood and Instincts
Pooja revealed that her lack of desire to become a mother was another sign the marriage was not working. 'One of the reasons I knew my marriage wasn't working was that I didn't want to have children. I love children, but the desire to become a mother never came.'
She trusted her instincts rather than forcing a role she did not genuinely want. 'I was working throughout my thirties and had many things I wanted to do. But the feeling of becoming a mother simply wasn't there. I listened to my body and my instincts.'
Not having children made it easier to assess the future honestly. 'Fortunately, we didn't have children, so we could think honestly about what was right for us,' she added.
No Longer in Touch
While the former couple initially remained cordial after their separation, Pooja shared that they are no longer in contact. 'Even after our marriage ended, we remained friends because I believed there was mutual respect between us.'
However, things changed over the years. 'Munish and I don't speak anymore. We haven't spoken for a very long time. There was a period when I genuinely thought we were friends. Then the lockdown happened, and I think it changed people in many ways. Masks came on, but certain masks also came off.'
Reflecting on their relationship today, she said, 'We had a friendship, or at least I thought we did. But if a friendship cannot survive difficult times, then perhaps it wasn't friendship at all. It couldn't withstand the test of time.'
No Resentment
Despite no longer sharing a friendship, Pooja harbors no bitterness. 'I truly wish him well. There is no malice, no resentment. I have moved on.'
She remains open to finding love again but is not searching for someone to complete her life. 'I am content. I am open to a relationship, but I am not looking for a solution. I am looking for a companion in the truest sense of the word. If one comes along, wonderful. If not, life is still good.'
