Pooja Bedi recently spoke about her unconventional childhood, revealing how her parents – actor Kabir Bedi and legendary classical dancer Protima Bedi – raised her with complete freedom and very few rules.
Interestingly, the actress also admitted that despite growing up in such an open environment, she eventually became a more strict mother.Speaking on Jos Alukkas’ YouTube channel, Pooja spoke about her “radical bohemian” upbringing and shared how her mother believes children should be empowered to make their own choices.
“If you want to be a hippie or an astronaut, choose your own path.”
Recalling her childhood, Pooja said her parents never pressured her to follow a specific career path or lifestyle.“I grew up in a radical bohemian family. I think my parents ushered in the whole flower power movement in India, and all you know is the sex and drug revolution and the rock ‘n’ roll era.”She added that happiness, not career ambition, had always been the guiding principle in their home.“Our path was never defined by career paths. Our path was always defined by the happiness quotient and it was always about what makes us happy,” she said.
Pooja then remembered the advice her mother often gave her about independence and self-reliance.“My mother used to say, ‘Honey, I put you on this planet because I wanted to be a father. And for my selfish reasons, you’re here now, I owe you. I owe you a house and a roof over your head. I owe you the right food to keep your stomach full. I owe you a great education so you can empower yourself. I owe you the experiences so you know what to choose from so you always get it.”She also recalled her mother telling her that luxuries had to be acquired independently.“You want your luxuries, you have to go and earn them right, and the whole thing is you want to be a beach bum, you want to be a hippie, you want to be an engineer, you want to be an astronaut, whatever you want in your life, you choose your path. Your basics are covered because I put you here.”
“You never tell me what to wear or when to come home.”
While Pooja cherishes the freedom she had as a child, she admitted that her parenting style was vastly different.“I’m a very strict mother,” she said, laughing. “I think every generation you would skip two generations and then that matriarch would come back.”The actress explained that many children either absorb or rebel against the way they are raised, and in her case, her reaction was against the extreme freedom she experienced.“I think many parts of me rejected the incredible freedom that was given to me because I remember when I was a child I went to my mother and said, ‘You know, Mum, you know you’re a really bad parent.
You never tell me what to wear.Pooja said she often asked her mother about the lack of rules or restrictions in her life.“I wear the smallest skirts. Don’t say wear longer things. I go out and don’t think about who I’m going out with. Don’t ask me what time I’ll be back. I don’t have a curfew. I don’t have a curfew time. You don’t tell me what to eat.”
“Do you want a curfew?”
Pooja revealed that her mother’s response stayed with her forever because it reflected complete confidence in her judgement.She looked at me and said, “Do you want me to ask you all that?” Do you want a curfew?” She said: “Aren’t you smart enough to decide all these things for yourself?”Protima, according to Pooja, believes that children should be brought up to make responsible decisions independently.“Don’t you think I would like to believe that I raised you with such a level of understanding that you know for yourself what is right, what is wrong, where to set boundaries, how much to drink, who to go out with, who not to go out with, and what time you should be home because you have tomorrow. These are very smart, independent decisions that I’d like to believe I raised you to be like that.” So I didn’t have an answer for that,” Pooja recalls.
