Neera Chopra, mother of Miss India 2009 and actress Pooja Chopra, has revealed a harrowing account of the days following her daughter's birth — including pressure from her in-laws to either end the newborn's life or abandon her at an orphanage. The disclosure was made during an emotional appearance on the reality show Tum Ho Naa – Ghar Ki Superstar, hosted by Rajeev Khandelwal.

A Family That Did Not Welcome a Daughter

Neera recalled that her marriage had begun on a warm note, with her in-laws initially welcoming. When her first daughter was born, she said, 'everyone's behaviour was okay.' But the atmosphere shifted. Her mother-in-law, who was later diagnosed with cancer, told Neera plainly: 'If you have a son, then the atmosphere in the house will become much better.'

When Pooja was born seven years later, the situation deteriorated sharply. Neera revealed that for three days after delivery, not a single family member visited her in the hospital. A fellow patient — an officer's wife who had just delivered a son — took pity and sent clothes for Neera's baby after the hospital attendant shout at the newborn for soiling herself.

The Ultimatum: 'End This Child or Leave Her at an Orphanage'

Neera's account grew more distressing as she described the weeks that followed. Her husband arrived to take her home only after ten days, showing no warmth toward the baby — neither picking her up nor looking at her. By the eleventh day, Neera was made to resume household work.

The pressure reached its most extreme point around the twentieth day. 'I was told every day to either end this child or leave her in an orphanage,' Neera said. 'I am a mother, how could I do something like that?' Her resolve unbroken, she made the decision to leave. 'I left my home with my 21-day-old baby in my arms,' she recalled.

From Kolkata to Mumbai With ₹81 and Two Daughters

Neera boarded a train from Kolkata to Mumbai — by her own admission, without a ticket — holding her seven-year-old daughter's hand and carrying the infant, with just ₹81 in her purse. Her parents were already in Mumbai and became her first support.

Desperate for income, she walked into a five-star hotel and approached a woman named Mrs. Mona Chawla, not knowing whether she was staff or management. 'Ma'am, please give me a job. Ma'am, I need a job,' Neera said directly. When Mrs. Chawla asked what was wrong with her cabin, Neera replied: 'The AC is very noisy and the carpet is not clean.' The candour impressed Mrs. Chawla, who offered her the position on the spot, asking her to start the very next day.

Six Years on ₹900 a Month, Then a Turning Point

Neera's starting salary was ₹900 a month. She handed almost all of it to her mother, keeping only enough for her children's milk. She sustained this for six years before securing a job in Goa that raised her income to ₹6,000 a month — a moment she describes as when 'life finally came back on track.'

Speaking of her daughters with visible pride, Neera said: 'If we are born again and again, then I would tell God to give me these two daughters in every life.' She also recalled the parting words she had directed at those who cast her out: 'You are throwing me out because of this daughter, right? One day, this girl will make me proud.' Pooja Chopra went on to win the Miss India crown in 2009 and build a career in Hindi cinema — the fulfilment, her mother said, of that very promise.