Some people are destined for fame, yet consciously choose to walk away from it. Ruby Bhatia is one such rare soul. Once a familiar face on Indian television, Ruby Bhatia’s journey reads like a paradox. A former Miss India Canada winner, India’s first-ever video jockey, and a popular TV anchor who interviewed everyone from the common man on the street to Amitabh Bachchan—Ruby was everywhere. And then, almost suddenly, she was nowhere.
In recent years, snippets of her old videos have resurfaced on social media, often accompanied by wild theories and assumptions. But the truth is far simpler—and far deeper. Ruby didn’t disappear. She chose spirituality over stardom, walked away from fame at the age of 30, and rebuilt her life on her own terms. Today, she works as a life coach, quietly helping people find balance, health, and happiness.
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Ruby shared, “I help with weight loss. I help with personality development. Happiness. Personal issues.”
Born in Canada to Indian parents, Ruby was adopted by her aunt and uncle. Growing up wasn’t easy. “It was not as easy. Plus, growing up in Canada was not easy. I faced racism,” she recalled. “I was the only Indian in a completely white school. Whenever I wore ethnic clothes on Diwali, kids would troll me. But all of this helped me grow.”
Almost accidentally, life nudged her toward the Miss India Canada pageant. “I did it just for the sake of it,” she said. Destiny, however, had other plans. Ruby won—and that victory brought her to Mumbai, where her life changed overnight.
Ironically, she had no ambitions of entering the entertainment industry. A philosophy student deeply interested in God and spiritual inquiry, Ruby had no idea what being a video jockey even meant.
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“I had no idea what VJing was,” she laughed. “I went for an MTV audition and got selected.” Soon after, MTV partnered with Star TV to launch Channel V—and Ruby became its only VJ for six months. She hosted every show, gained massive visibility, and became, officially, India’s first VJ. “I got exposure beyond imagination. I met everyone—from a common man to Amitabh Bachchan.”
Contrary to popular belief, Ruby did not compete in the same pageant as Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen. “I was one of the chief guests at a sub-pageant,” she clarified. “I crowned Miss Beautiful Hair.”
During her Channel V days, Ruby met her first husband, singer Nitin Bali. The marriage, however, lasted barely two years. “We were very young—20 and 22. It was a Bollywood dream, but a lot didn’t match. Our parents pushed us into marriage. We eventually parted ways.”
After her divorce, Ruby took a long break from relationships. Nearly a decade later, she met Ajith—at an ashram. “He is now my guru, my husband, and the father of my children. I am extremely thankful for him,” she said.
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Around the same time, Ruby walked away from her career—right at its peak. “I come from a small town in Canada where there’s nature and silence. Bombay was crowded. Everyone knew me. I had no privacy. I wanted to live my life.”
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At 30, she hit an emotional breaking point. A devout ISKCON follower while simultaneously being a glamorous VJ, Ruby felt torn between two identities. “I was living two lives,” she admitted. “When I stopped my sadhana, I lost my energy. I had a breakdown. I kept asking myself—why am I doing this? I was searching for meaning.”
In between her anchoring career, Ruby also tried acting. She appeared in Kasauti Zindagi Kii, films like Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, and Halla Bol. “I wasn’t happy doing a negative role in Kasauti, but I was young and it paid well,” she said, recalling her character Menaka Bose. “I was 28 and playing a 25-year-old’s mother. Balaji did that with everyone.”
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She also candidly spoke about her on-and-off screen ego clashes with Ronit Roy. “Ronit and I still have issues,” she said with honesty, adding that she shares a good relationship with his wife.
Ruby was even selected as the fresh face to host ICC cricket events—but she admits it wasn’t her calling. “I didn’t understand cricket. Kapil Dev taught me personally, and I learned a lot. But when Mandira Bedi took over, I was relieved. She loved the sport. I was just doing an assignment.”
Today, Ruby homeschools her two sons, creates motivational content online, and lives a grounded life in Mumbai. “I am very happy to be out of the limelight,” she said. “I love helping people.”
Looking back, she feels grateful she never became a mega star. “Big stars can’t live freely. I had the best of both worlds. I was never comfortable with the kind of outfits Bollywood expected.”
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She also fondly recalled some endearing faux pas—mistakenly calling Anil Ambani ‘Mukesh Ambani’ and once failing to recognise Rekha at an airport. “She spoke to me, and I didn’t know who she was,” Ruby laughed. “Later someone said, ‘Rekha ji looks so beautiful.’ I asked—where is Rekha? They said—you were just talking to her. She was my idol.”
Now far removed from glamour, Ruby Bhatia leads a simple, self-sufficient life. “I don’t have maids or drivers. I do everything myself.”
