Pooja Bhatt’s body paint photoshoot controversy: After years she said – I was not nude

In the 1990s, Pooja Bhatt was a Bollywood actress who was always in the headlines for her outspoken nature and out-of-the-box decisions. The most talked about and controversial moment of her career was when she applied body paint on her body and posed for the cover of a magazine. This photoshoot was inspired by the famous Vanity Fair magazine cover of Hollywood actress Demi Moore.

At that time this picture had created an uproar in the entire country. Many people started criticizing it, while some people were also praising it. But today Pooja Bhatt says that she never intentionally intended to create controversy. Recently, in a special conversation with Vicky Lalwani, Pooja remembered this entire controversy. He told how it all started, what was the reaction from people and why this photo was misinterpreted.

‘Demi Moore looked gorgeous’

Pooja Bhatt says that when she saw Demi Moore’s famous Vanity Fair cover for the first time, she immediately liked it. I thought Demi Moore looked very beautiful and full of confidence in that picture. At that time journalists Dinesh Raheja and Jeetu came to her and said, ‘Pooja, look at this cover. We want to do something similar, are you ready?’ Pooja said yes without any hesitation. When he asked who would do the body painting, it came to light that famous designer Anna Singh would do the work.

How did the photoshoot go?

Pooja was very busy that day. She was shooting the song ‘Tere Dar Par Sanam’ from the film ‘Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi’. The shooting ended at around 9:30 pm. After that she directly reached the house of famous photographer Jagdish Mali. Anna Singh carefully painted Pooja’s body and Jagdish Mali took the photo. The entire photoshoot was completed in just a few hours. Pooja tells that after the shooting she had completely forgotten about it. But when the magazine came into the market, the situation changed completely. There was commotion all around. Some people called it very brilliant while others criticized it sharply. Meanwhile, a very big and tragic incident happened in the country. Mumbai bomb blast. Pooja says, ‘After that terrible tragedy, people had more important things to do than worrying about this picture of mine.’

‘I was not nude’

Pooja Bhatt also clarified the biggest misconception spread regarding this photo. She said, ‘I was not naked in that picture. Demi Moore’s cover mentioned a birthday suit, which means she only had paint on her body. But I was wearing underwear. We knew where the limit was and we did not cross it. She further says that according to that time, this picture was definitely an adventure, but its purpose was never to shock or excite people. It was just my way of showing my true self. Whatever idea I liked, I did it with confidence. I had full confidence in the people with whom I was working.

Why is it still in discussion today?

Even today, when people talk about that old picture, it is called a ‘cult image’. Pooja herself is surprised that even after so many years people remember that cover. ‘We are living in a world full of lies, so even the truth becomes controversial these days. I never thought that this would become such a big issue. We did everything in a very natural way. Earlier also in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Pooja had said, ‘I saw Demi Moore’s picture and I found her beautiful. I never thought that I was doing anything controversial, it was all a matter of intention.