Listening to talkback radio while being driven to school in Fiji by her dad, Pooja Kumar was always mesmerised by the “nice, deep voice” talking about soccer. While she never would have guessed she would eventually meet, marry and work with radio host Vijay Varma, she also couldn’t have imagined the rollercoaster they would face while defying common cultural expectations to build the life they love today.
It has been a journey tinged with heartache, tears, drama, divorce and a miscarriage, but as the Fijian-born Humm 104.2 FM hosts pose for Woman’s Day with their beautiful blended family in Auckland, it’s clear their love conquers all.
“In the beginning, I was crying constantly, wondering, ‘When will things turn around?'” reflects Pooja. “But now everything’s so dreamy. We might not have a traditional nuclear family, but things are good and our daughter’s the cherry on the cake. She helped us heal.”
Adorable Vihaana, two, is the star of the show at the photo shoot, but it’s Vijay, 47, and Pooja, 31, who have become stars of Hindi radio while hosting The Breakfast Show With Vijay And Pooja. Having stumbled into broadcasting with a copywriting gig, Vijay was hosting the breakfast show in Fiji when Pooja landed the graveyard shift at a sister station. The two had little in common and Vijay was married with four kids (Saahil, 23, Sohail, 20, Vishakha, 18, and Krishn, 12). However, they became friends and Pooja confided in Vijay when her office crush broke her heart.
The couple worked hard at creating blended bliss with (from left) Vishakha, Sohail and Saahil.
“I felt so bad he rejected me and Vijay offered advice,” she recalls. “It felt good to have someone listening, not judging.”
Dynamics began changing after Vijay experienced ongoing marriage issues.
“My wife and I weren’t getting on,” he says. “I was on the verge of a breakdown.”
Adds Pooja, “The tables turned and he found someone in me, who would listen to his problems and feelings.”
With divorce still often frowned upon in Indian culture, accepting his marriage wasn’t working was crushing.
“It was very difficult, especially when you have kids you’re so attached to,” Vijay says. “You work so hard to build your life, then suddenly everything’s shattered. It’s hard starting over. Thanks to Pooja being by my side, we’ve pulled through.”
As Pooja supported Vijay through the turmoil, he realised he was developing feelings for her, and decided to be honest with her and his ex-wife.
Because of their age gap and Vijay having been previously married, the relationship stirred unrest for Pooja’s family, who initially found it difficult to accept their union.
For Pooja, adjusting to children entering her life at age 22 was challenging.
“They started living with us and overnight I had the shared responsibility of three grown kids,” she tells.
The couple moved to Aotearoa for a fresh start in 2014 and were eventually joined by Saahil, Sohail and Vishakha, however, they showed some hesitancy towards Pooja.
“I used to cry at night, wondering, ‘How am I supposed to handle things?’ I didn’t feel like I had anyone I could talk to about it,” she admits. “Vijay kept saying, ‘Be patient. They’re kids. They don’t filter their words’. I didn’t give up. I gave them space and tried to do what was in the best interests for the family. It took time, but they started accepting me and we became good friends.
“They also had friends from blended families, so began understanding adult relationships aren’t what you see in movies.”
Yet Vijay’s proposal was rom-com worthy – happening while the two were on-air on Valentine’s Day. Following an at-home wedding in 2017, they were pursuing adoption when Pooja miraculously became pregnant.
Having been told that endometriosis and ovarian cysts wouldn’t allow her to conceive, they cried with joy, however, Pooja miscarried two months later.
“She was so down, so I tried to keep her motivated,” Vijay says about Pooja, whose mum also joined them in New Zealand to help her recover.
The loss was so traumatising that when Pooja became pregnant again months later, she didn’t tell Vijay for three long months.
She confides, “I was so scared of losing another child that I believed something bad might happen if I told anyone.”
However, “miracle” Vihaana arrived Christmas Day 2019. Her siblings were immediately smitten, especially “over-protective” Saahil, who won’t let anyone scold the cutie.
After miscarriage misery, the pair says daughter Vihaana “helped us heal”.
For Vijay, seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces makes all their hurdles worth it. Family bliss also overpowers any judgement they occasionally face.
“There are still certain things in our Indian community which aren’t encouraged, but it doesn’t mean it’s not happening,” reveals Pooja.
“Talking to you today has made me realise how far we’ve come. Things have gotten better and better. I feel so blessed and relieved!”
Catch The Breakfast Show With Vijay And Pooja from 6am, weekdays on Humm FM.
