
Ruby Bhatia, once an inescapable presence on Indian television in the 1990s, was a familiar and comforting face in countless homes.
Today, she has returned to public view in a far more personal way, sharing her phone number on Instagram and openly asking for work, a move that has caught many by surprise.
Two decades after quietly stepping away from the spotlight, Ruby Bhatia’s reappearance has not come through a glossy comeback show or a nostalgia-fuelled television special. Instead, it has unfolded through simple, unfiltered videos on social media. In them, she speaks directly to viewers, offering life coaching services for a fee of Rs 1,000.
For 90s kids, Ruby Bhatia was everywhere, a familiar, confident face on TV, VJing, anchoring, interviewing. Seeing her reels today, offering life coaching, makeup tips, and even asking people to WhatsApp her for work for ₹1000, just feels heavy. Not mocking her at all. It’s… pic.twitter.com/JAP2YPkZXp— Sapna Madan (@sapnamadan) January 29, 2026
Explaining what she offers, she says, “Personality development, weight loss, personal issues, fear, depression, anxiety, panic attacks – whatever I can help you with. I am there for you. Fee is Rs 1,000 and unlimited access.”
A former Miss India Canada and widely considered India’s first video jockey, Ruby Bhatia played a defining role in shaping how a generation experienced music, celebrities and pop culture. She wasn’t merely hosting shows; she was helping build a new language of television, one that felt modern, confident and aspirational.
For viewers who grew up in the 1990s, seeing Ruby Bhatia on Instagram today stirs a complicated mix of nostalgia and sadness.
One viewer wrote, “For 90s kids, Ruby Bhatia was everywhere, a familiar, confident face on TV, VJing, anchoring, interviewing. Seeing her reels today… just feels heavy. Not mocking her at all. It’s simply a sobering reminder of how fleeting fame is and how important financial security in later years really is.”
Another comment echoed the affection many still hold for her: “She had so much aura around her… Truly an icon for everyone who grew up in 90s.”
In an earlier interview with Bollywood Thikana, Ruby Bhatia reflected on her peak years, saying, “I used to charge about ₹1 lakh per show in the 90s for anchoring events. For shoots, I charged per day depending on the project’s budget.”
After years devoted to family life in Lokhandwala, Mumbai, a decision to renovate her 30-year-old home unexpectedly nudged her back towards work.
What followed felt instinctive rather than calculated. “Without even realising it, and without charging, I had been offering life coaching since I was 25… That’s when I decided to make it a profession.”
On screen, Ruby Bhatia was known for her ease — poised but approachable, confident yet warm. At her peak, she was among the most recognisable faces on Indian television, earning figures that were remarkable for the time. And then, she stepped away quietly, without spectacle.
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