Like I said even with me I think my journey has been more about accepting who I am accepting how I look accepting so many things you know believe it or not
As a kid, I would be someone who used to not wear sleeveless because I was so conscious about myself
In terms of like you know not getting the right kind of work like you know when you don't come from a filmy family uh
And your first film doesn't do well okay! First of all when your film becomes like the audition to the world right yeah
Everybody watches the film and they immediately go yes or no!
Amazing! Sounds good! I have five releases this year so I'm very excited that I Have so many releases
He's like full entertainment you know I call him 'Pammy Aunty'
Mahesh Babu, good I would say he has a good power over his dialogue delivery I agree
Akshay Kumar? Akshay Sir is mischievous! He is always up to something on set!
Hi everyone this is Avinash Lohana and you're watching PInkvilla!
Our guest has proved her mettle across genres and regions and continues to impress the audience with her talent and charisma
I'm talking to Pooja Hegde
Hello Thank You that sounds so good!
2012 is when you made your acting debut right with a Tamil film, yeah and we are in 2022 I think in August it was released right! August 2012 and we are in 2022 now
10 years of journey Pooja yeah how has this been?
You know people keep saying that to me that it's been ten years but I don't feel that because the thing is that my journey has never been like...
I did that one hit film and then after that it's been like crazy, it hasn't been that there's been so many gaps there's been you know-
After the first film that I did in 2012 right?
One year I didn't get any work okay yeah Then after that work started coming in a little bit and then I got Mohenjodaro right
So one year went before that and Mohenjodao took two years to get made so then two years went there and then two years at the pandemic so five years just disappeared I feel like
it's not been like I've constantly been working I would say that in the last three to four or four years is where I've really worked like properly and it's been it's been great it's been my journey has been a roller coaster ride with its ups and downs
But it has made me a stronger person
I'm sure! But when you say roller coaster what do you mean? What were the challenges that you faced?
In terms of like you know not getting the right kind of work or like you know when you don't come from a filmy family and um
Your first film doesn't do well okay first of all when your film becomes like the audition to the world right?
Everybody watches the film and they immediately go yes or no, it's clear distinction did you pass or fail That's True
And if it doesn't do well then it's not like people are giving you offers left right and centre like try again uh just try again you know what I mean So...
I kind of had to really select my second film sometimes then your second film becomes more important than your first so I waited
I got great film offers down south and I ended up doing that and I'm so glad I did because it's given me uh doing the south films you know being appreciated by the audience there the love that I've got from there um
Kind of helped me also pick my films more wiser and more carefully you know in Hindi and all of that But you know like you said since you are not from a filmy family usually people from a filmy family invariably will get a
second chance, if their debut film didn't work then also they will get other chances but that's not the thing with you.
Did that play up on your mind at that point in time? of course 'nepotism' was not the 'it' word then. Correct!
It didn't play on my mind to that extent because I accepted it, I accepted that that's how it is you know yeah so I didn't spend too much time crying about it I just went back to work because
What other options do I have? right? Except for going back to work and proving myself again and again yeah and that's how like you know DJ came about and that did really well in the north audience also like the Hindi dubbed on Youtube
has some 100 million views for the film you know
So it kind of like I'm really glad that my life went this path yeah um and there's nothing much I could do about it just keep working you know
And like you rightly said you know uh I always say acceptance is the first step to solve your problem so when you accept the problem then it's easier to solve it for you and which is what you did so more more power to you for that
Thank you There's an interview where you said, 'all my life I wanted to be like someone else', this might also be a challenge at some point?
I mean you know what I mean like I think it's always this journey has been about accepting myself more than about becoming someone else you know that's what I said Yes
I don't even remember this anymore what did I say? 'All my life I wanted to be like someone else', Be like someone yeah exactly I feel like uh if this journey has helped accept who I am also you know
How I look about? what my strengths are? What weaknesses are? I feel like I've grown to know myself more through my work.
Because you know as a kid I was somebody who was very lost as a child I didn't know what I wanted to do I didn't know who I was. I was very- I still am very self-critical about myself but I
I'm working on it I'm work in progress right so I've become more accepting of who I am and before it was like I always wanted to fit in I've always tried to fit in because being a shy kid, being an introvert you want to just fit in yeah
And then I started realizing that I need to stop doing that because it's okay if I stand out you know and if I be myself unapologetically if I be real then maybe there's somebody else who'll look at me and be like
OH Pooja is being real and she's making it like maybe somebody can connect with you on that front so it's been an acceptance, it's been a growth process I would say.
Has it happened with you? Have people walked up to you and said 'hey you inspired me'.
Yeah I mean like it's happened in terms of people will come and tell me that you know what you're my you know my daughter is like a big fan or like that and I'm just like whoa really? like that's so amazing that I have that you know power
to do that it's happened yeah. Sure! As an actor do you take this power responsibly that comes your way?
Of course like you know Uncle Ben said to Spiderman, 'with great power comes great responsibilities' but of course, because it's not something I take lightly um I know that every action of mine is being you know judged and you know
they are just checking it out and uh watching me and at some times it can be powerful so I'm very aware of that I hope that through my work I could inspire someone sure but does that
make you aware as an artist on say for example on social media you have to put something and then you might a well think twice like will this give out a good impact, this will give out a good message. Are you that aware?
I am but I'm also like uh I feel sometimes there's so much negativity on social media that I make sure that my posts are positive yes, you know like I just feel like if people follow me they should see me happy they should see me uh
being myself and at the same time I want my social media to be who I am truest to itself so I never like if there's something that is trending just for the sake of trending and if I'm not comfortable doing it I won't do it I don't care about like
the views or like what it's gonna look like or oh my god you know my let's say my team comes and said it'll be really good if you do it because it's trending I try and not let that effect me and only if it's my truest version, then I end up doing it
but can you really be real on social media because most of the time we put out stuff which is good correct
And sometimes people look and say oh wow their life is so nice but it's really not that right?
It's uh you can be real on social media but I don't out too much of my personal life on social media because I just feel like there is a certain uh you know straining I do myself where I'm like this much I'll keep to myself do I have bad days?
Yes do I- am I sad some days yes, but do I really need to constantly tell people that no because I would like people rather look at me smile and smile you know
I'd rather that happen than the opposite so um it's good to be vulnerable and all of that but I also like to make people smile
At least the message I'm sending is good! I agree! I agree to that I also have to ask you this you've also spoken in the past about uh people have walked up to you and said, 'you're too thin' people have walked up to you and said, 'you're too fat'
Does that happen now? uh And I'm so surprised in 2022 also you know-
These things are pointed out to people, it's upsetting but I feel now as a thing we're getting more opinionated about everybody else than before. But I mean...
It happens but you just have to take it with a stride like I feel like you know there are some people who tell you something which is called constructive criticism you can take their criticism and you can do something constructive with it
And then there are some people who just say things because for the sake of saying things so you shouldn't take that seriously I try not to take that seriously and I live my life I think that's just how it goes.
But I'm glad people are like you said are talking about stuff like body shaming right you know it's important to go out there and say it's not cool
Of course, of course, it isn't and like I said even with me I think my journey has been more about accepting who I am accepting how I look accepting uh so many things you know
Believe it or not, as a kid I used to be someone who used to not wear sleeveless because I was so conscious about myself. Really?
Yeah I was just that I was a very shy kid uh...
But I've accepted who I am how my body looks how am I and that I hope more girls do that, yeah you know Yeah more power, yeah thank you
Let's talk about your work because it's a very very interesting lineup you know and I've written it down because there are so many great films.
There's one with Salman Khan which is called 'Bhaijaan', then there's one with Thalapathy Vijay which is called 'Beast' then there is one with Ranveer Singh which is called 'Circus', then there is 'Acharya' with Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan and
then there's one more with Mahesh Babu. Yeah, have we completed everything? Radhe Shyam released yeah so, Amazing! Sounds good I've five releases so far this year so I'm very excited that I have so many releases so I think we're gonna do this interview again and again this year
Because for every film I'll come and meet you we'll be talking we'll be meeting very often this year I can't wait for this but what a lineup yaar! Thank you
I feel like these are the films that I have been working you know if you ever wondered where is Pooja these days? I've been shooting these films and now they've all just lined up this year and I hope you all see a new Pooja Hegde in
every film because the variety of characters that I'm playing the roles is so exciting whether it was you know Radhe Shyam my character Prerna
It was a very challenging role for me because it's a very emotionally exhausting film you know the second half of the film there are a lot of emotional scenes and we shot it in Hindi and Telegu right,
So we were doing every scene twice so there was Prerna there was the 'Most Eligible Bachelor' where I was playing a standup comedian, there's Acharya where I'm playing a proper village girl a Telugu village girl with two pigtails
and half saree, so that's another Pooja that you're gonna see there's Beast which is another a whole other kind of film so you're gonna see a variation in me and that's something I'm excited about for the audience to see. Sure!
Is that also a criterion when you look at a script? You know it has to be different from what I have done before?
There are many factors honestly when I'm selecting a script sometimes you do a film because uh as a fan okay right, like for example,
This 'Circus', like Rohit Shetty right, or uh if Sanjay Leela Bhansali called me up and said Pooja let's do this film, I'm going to be like yes sir let's do it I'm not going to ask him what the role is or what is the thing?
Or if Raju Hirani called or if Rajamouli called me I would just say yes because I'm a fan of their work or you know if Sriram Raghavan called me I'd still I'd be very excited about it, Zoya Akhtar!
So there are some films that you do as a fan there are some films you do because the script is really beautiful, you want to be a part of this beautiful story you know the larger picture
And as long as my character is making a difference to the larger picture of the film I want to be a part of it you know
And there are some films you do because it makes your soul happy it makes the actor in me happy um like Radhe Shyam right because my character was so beautiful.
I wanted to do it because the character made me happy so there are many many factors. Sure. Sure.
Circus, I think your and Ranveer's energy really match Really? I really feel as per the energy is concerned you all are really on the same page. Was it like that on the set as well?
Of course, he's like full entertainment you know? I call him Pammi Aunty Why? And...
I'll talk about it when we are talking about Circus but yeah he's just too much fun to be around and he is so observant of everybody yeah!
Sure but really looking forward to that film yeah I think it looks good I think uh you know we make a great on-screen pair also so I think you're going to see that
Can't wait for that one yeah very exciting and fun.
Recently Radhe Shyam was released and of course, your character received a lot of love from across the media and from the audiences as well but it has also received a mixed response at the same time, did that worry you or concern you?
I mean um see I feel like every film has its own destiny like I strongly believe that like sometimes you watch your film you're like oh it's a okay film but the box office does really well yeah
Sometimes there's a film that uh you know didn't do well at the box office but when you watch it you are like why was it a flop? It's quite good yeah you know so I feel every film has its destiny at the box office and um that's on the film right?
But what I was happy about is; like what you said is that people were appreciating me in the film besides saying that you know Pooja Hegde looks beautiful, they were also talking about my performance you know that about I've really improved
as an actor about how my emotional scenes were really good and that made me very happy you know people were like going to watch coming out of the theatre; when they came out of the theatre and Prerna stayed with them,
My character Pooja Prerna stayed with them that was like it was a high of a different level I feel because it's I got- you know when you put four years of your life into making a film you put your heart and soul and it gets appreciated you feel really good
Yeah that's true any chances of collaborating with Prabhas again?
Let's hope! He has a mad lineup now so... That's true! Maybe after that yeah. Did he did you all discuss like we should work together again
We don't discuss all these things, it just happens like when Allu Arjun and I did a film again we never like after DJ happened we never planned it, it just happened and so it did really well it uh 'Butta Bomma' did so well you know
So it just happens these things Two films you have done? You and Allu Arjun. Yeah Wow!
I've done two films with him and now Mahesh, this will be my second film with Mahesh Babu um yeah
Ram Charan also? I did a song with Ram Charan but this is like my first time, I'm doing a film with him, a proper film.
I mean it's still like we both are playing a small part in it. It's Chiranjeevi Garu's film and we both are playing special parts in that film
We'll do a quick game with you, okay, you've worked with you know the biggest of the big stars in India I'm gonna ask you to describe them in one word or one sentence you can choose okay
Begin. So the first name is Salman Khan
Swag. 'Swag se Swaggat' [song] Swag.
Ranveer Singh
Intriguing Why? He's intriguing he's such a personality I love watching him and watching him how he reacts and believes and I like observing people. Yeah.
Hrithik Roshan?
Graceful. Yeah. He's very graceful Naga Chaitanya?
Sweet. Hmm. Yeah. Allu Arjun?
I mean I also want to say swag for him. I would say smooth yeah. Fluid yeah. I'll also add stylish stylish right? yeah but that's like his name like they call him the stylish star so that's why I don't want to be lazy about saying this
Thalapathy Vijay? Uber cool! Yeah.
Chiranjeevi Sir? All heart yeah he's all heart
Ram Charan? Endearing Mahesh Babu?
Handsome. Yeah! You're running out of adjectives I am I really am you're asking me all my heroes I have many heroes oh yeah I can say sentences okay
Mahesh Babu is good- I would say he has a good power over his dialogue delivery true I agree.
Akshay Kumar? Akshay Sir is mischievous, he's always up to something on set. Did he play pranks on you? Yeah many times. I can't even tell you.
Jr. NTR? One take artist. really? Wow!
Last one Prabhas.
Foodie total foodie, yeah he gets apparently a lot of food on the sets yeah he got food on sets and a lot of food and I'm a foodie myself so I love it. Oh so you all bonded on that yeah food. Lovely! I can bond with anybody on food I just
I love eating Lovely! Thank you So much this was a lovely conversation and I wish you all the best for everything that's coming across but I don't think you need it because you're really-
No no please I need luck for everything. Thank you so much. Thank you.
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