Pooja Bhatt Husband
Introduction
Pooja Bhatt’s husband was Manish Makhija, an Indian video jockey, restaurateur and media personality born on October 7, 1968, in Delhi, India.
Pooja Bhatt is an Indian actress, filmmaker and producer who became one of the recognizable faces of Bollywood during the 1990s. She is known for films including Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Sadak, Zakhm and Daddy, and later established herself as a director and producer.
Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija married in 2003 after meeting while working on Paap, Pooja’s directorial debut. Their wedding was a private ceremony in Goa attended by close family and friends. The relationship lasted for more than 11 years before the couple separated and divorced in 2014.
Makhija was already known in television circles as Udham Singh, a character he played on Channel V’s The Udham Singh Show. He also worked in films and other entertainment projects. This article covers his early life, education, career, relationship with Pooja Bhatt, marriage, family life and what is publicly known about him today.
Who Is Manish Makhija?
Manish Makhija, also known as Munish Makhija, is an Indian media personality and former video jockey. He was born on October 7, 1968, in Delhi. His parents worked for the Indian Postal Department, and he grew up in Delhi.
Makhija pursued higher education in Delhi. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Kirori Mal College. He later enrolled in an LLB program at the University of Delhi but did not complete the course.
His career took an interesting turn when he entered television. During the late 1990s, he became popular as Udham Singh, a rustic, humorous character on Channel V. The character helped him develop a distinctive identity among Indian television audiences.
His personality and unconventional screen presence made him different from conventional television hosts. Instead of presenting himself as a polished celebrity presenter, he built his popularity around humour and a memorable character.
Makhija later became associated with Goa and worked in the hospitality business. He was described in contemporary reports as a hotelier or restaurateur. His professional interests also overlapped with the entertainment industry, particularly through his association with Pooja Bhatt’s filmmaking projects.
Although he became known to the wider public primarily because of his marriage to Pooja Bhatt, Makhija had an entertainment career of his own. His work as a VJ and his Udham Singh character remain among his best-known professional achievements.
Manish Makhija’s Career & Professional Life
Manish Makhija began receiving major attention through Channel V, where he appeared as the character Udham Singh. His character became particularly recognizable for its Haryanvi-inspired style and humorous presentation.
The Udham Singh Show was connected to a campaign encouraging young people to vote. Makhija’s performance eventually became popular enough for him to continue appearing in television and entertainment projects.
He also worked as an actor and assistant director. Film databases list him in projects including Paap, Rog and Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana.
His association with Pooja Bhatt extended beyond their personal relationship. Makhija worked around her filmmaking projects, including Paap. Reports from the period also noted his involvement in sourcing music for the film, including tracks connected with the Pakistani band Junoon.
Apart from television and film, Makhija was associated with the hospitality industry in Goa. Contemporary reports referred to him as a hotelier or restaurateur.
Manish Makhija’s net worth
There is no reliably verified public figure for Manish Makhija’s net worth. Various celebrity websites may publish estimates, but these figures are not supported by dependable financial records or statements from Makhija himself.
For that reason, it is better not to present an estimated net worth as a confirmed fact.
How Did Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija Meet?
Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija met through the entertainment industry while working on Paap, which Pooja directed. Makhija was involved with the film and also appeared in it. Contemporary reports identify the production of Paap as the setting in which the two first became acquainted.
Their professional relationship gradually developed into a personal one. Reports from the time described them as having dated before marrying in 2003.
One contemporary account said that they had been going steady for several months before their wedding. Another report described Makhija as a person Pooja enjoyed spending time with because of his humour and unconventional personality.
Their relationship attracted media attention because Pooja was already a well-known Bollywood actress and filmmaker, while Makhija was known primarily for television and his Udham Singh persona.
Rather than having a highly publicized celebrity wedding, the pair chose a relatively private ceremony in Goa. Their decision reflected their preference for keeping the occasion away from excessive media attention.
The relationship subsequently became one of Pooja Bhatt’s most discussed personal chapters. However, both the marriage and its eventual ending were handled relatively privately compared with many celebrity relationships.
Marriage & Wedding Details
Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija married in August 2003 in Goa. Reports describe the wedding as a private and simple ceremony attended by close family members and friends.
Some contemporary reports give August 16, 2003, as the wedding date, while IMDb lists August 24, 2003. Because contemporary reporting is not completely consistent on the exact date, August 2003 is the safest date to use without presenting a disputed detail as certain.
Bollywood Hungama reported that the wedding took place at a temple in Goa and that Pooja’s mother attended. Her father, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, was away on a shooting schedule but reportedly blessed the couple by telephone.
The wedding was deliberately low-key. Unlike many Bollywood weddings, it was not organized as a major public event. Their choice of Goa also became closely associated with their relationship because Makhija had professional connections to the region.
Pooja and Makhija remained married for more than a decade before announcing their separation in 2014.
Children & Family Life
Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija did not have children together. Pooja later discussed her feelings about motherhood in interviews, explaining that she loved children but did not experience a personal desire to become a mother.
During their marriage, the couple maintained a relatively private lifestyle despite Pooja’s high public profile. Makhija’s work in television and hospitality also meant that he had an independent professional identity outside Bollywood.
In December 2014, Pooja publicly announced that she and Makhija had decided to end their marriage after 11 years. She described their separation as amicable and said they continued to hold each other in high regard at the time.
Pooja later provided more personal insight into the end of the marriage. In a 2026 interview, she said that loneliness and feeling disconnected within the relationship played an important role in her decision. She also rejected speculation that another person was responsible for the separation.
She has also said that the divorce was emotionally difficult for her. In 2023, while appearing on Bigg Boss OTT 2, she described ending the 11-year relationship as one of the lowest periods of her life.
Manish Makhija on Social Media
Manish Makhija has maintained a much lower public profile than Pooja Bhatt. Unlike many contemporary celebrities, there is no consistently documented, widely verified social-media profile with a reliable current follower count that can be confidently cited.
Because social-media accounts can be changed, deleted, renamed or impersonated, follower numbers should not be presented as facts without a verified current profile.
Makhija’s public identity remains closely connected with his earlier television career, particularly his Udham Singh character on Channel V. He has generally stayed away from the level of publicity associated with mainstream Bollywood celebrities.
Readers looking for his current social-media activity should verify that an account is authentic before relying on follower counts or personal information.
Quick Facts About Manish Makhija
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Manish Makhija |
| Also Known As | Munish Makhija |
| Date of Birth | October 7, 1968 |
| Birthplace | Delhi, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Former VJ, actor, media personality, restaurateur |
| Known For | Udham Singh on Channel V |
| Married To | Pooja Bhatt |
| Marriage Year | 2003 |
| Divorce | 2014 |
| Children | None |
| Education | B.A. Political Science, Kirori Mal College; later studied LLB at Delhi University |
| Net Worth | Not reliably publicly documented |
Frequently Asked Questions About Pooja Bhatt Husband
Q: Who is Pooja Bhatt’s husband?
A: Pooja Bhatt was married to Manish Makhija, also known as Munish Makhija. He is a former Channel V VJ who became known for his Udham Singh character.
They married in Goa in 2003 and divorced in 2014 after more than 11 years of marriage.
Q: How old is Manish Makhija?
A: Manish Makhija was born on October 7, 1968, in Delhi, India.
As of September 2026, he is 57 years old.
Q: What does Manish Makhija do for a living?
A: Manish Makhija is best known as a former video jockey and television personality, particularly for playing Udham Singh on Channel V.
He has also been associated with acting, filmmaking projects and the hospitality/restaurant business in Goa.
Q: When did Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija get married?
A: Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija married in August 2003 in Goa in a private ceremony.
They remained married for more than 11 years before separating and divorcing in 2014.
Q: How many kids do Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija have?
A: Pooja Bhatt and Manish Makhija do not have children together. Pooja has publicly discussed her decision and said that although she loves children, she never felt the desire to become a mother.
Conclusion
Manish Makhija is best remembered as a former Channel V VJ, television personality and restaurateur who became widely known through his Udham Singh character. His connection with Pooja Bhatt began while they were working on Paap, eventually leading to their private Goa wedding in 2003. Their marriage lasted more than 11 years before they separated and divorced in 2014.
While the phrase pooja bhatt husband remains a popular search term, it is important to clarify that Makhija is her former husband. Pooja has since spoken openly about her journey and the reasons behind ending the marriage. Their story remains an interesting chapter in the life of one of Bollywood’s most distinctive actress-filmmakers.
