Pooja Hegde (born 13 October 1990) is an Indian actress who has appeared in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil films. She began her modeling career as the second runner-up in the 2010 I Am She-Miss Universe India pageant. She made her Tamil cinema debut in Mugamoodi (2012) and had her first Telugu release in Oka Laila Kosam (2014). Hegde has established herself as one of Telugu cinema's leading actresses.
Hegde received the SIIMA Award for Best Telugu Actress for her work in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) and Most Eligible Bachelor (2021). Oka Laila Kosam, Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, and Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018) earned her a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actress - Telugu. Duvvada Jagannadham (2017), Maharshi (2019), Gaddalakonda Ganesh (2019), and Housefull 4 (2019) are among her other commercially successful films. Her 2022 film releases were Beast, Radhe Shyam, Acharya, and Cirkus, all of which were critically panned.
Early life and employment
Pooja Hegde was born on October 13, 1990, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to a Tulu-speaking family. Manjunath and Latha Hegde are her parents. They were born in Udupi, Karnataka. Rishabh Hegde, her elder brother, is also an orthopaedic surgeon. She speaks English, Hindi, and Marathi in addition to Tulu. Following a career in her respective movie, she later learned Telugu. She attended Maneckji Cooper Education Trust School in Mumbai. She attended M. M. K. College and routinely performed in dance and fashion shows.
Despite earning the Miss India Talented 2009 title, Hegde was eliminated in an early round of the Miss India 2009 competition. She reapplied the following year and finished as the second runner-up in Miss Universe India 2010.
Career
Work from 2012 to 2017
Hegde made her acting debut in Mysskin's Tamil superhero film Mugamoodi (2012), starring Jiiva, as Shakthi, a fun-loving girl who encourages the male lead to rethink his perspective on society. She was chosen when Mysskin saw still images of her pageant triumph, and Hegde assisted in the practice of Tamil dialogue for the film by writing and memorizing words in English, saying that the similarities between Tamil and her native language Tulu was also beneficial. Prior to its release, the film generated great anticipation due to the novel topic of a superhero in Tamil films, and it had a successful box office debut in August 2012. According to the Times of India, "Pooja Hegde has little to do and comes across as just another pretty face." "Pooja Hegde, the debutante, may have floored everyone with her amiable appearance," NDTV observed, "but she definitely needs some coaching in expressions." At the 2nd South Indian International Movie Awards, she was nominated for Best Tamil Female Debut Actress.
Oka Laila Kosam (2014), Hegde's second film release, starred her opposite Naga Chaitanya. Her acting in the film was appreciated. She was nominated for Best Actress at the 62nd Filmfare Awards (South) around the same period. Following the success of the director Vijay Konda's previous endeavor, she was inspired to embark on the project. She studied Telugu in order to play the prominent female role. Hegde wowed audiences in her second Telugu film with her remarkable performance in the song "Gopikamma" from Mukunda (2014). It was a romantic-action story set in a town that was released in late 2014.
In July 2014, Hegde agreed to star alongside Hrithik Roshan in Ashutosh Gowariker's period drama Mohenjo Daro, which is set against the backdrop of the Indus Valley civilisation. She was chosen after Gowariker's wife saw her in an advertisement and invited her to an audition, which she aced. As a result of her commitment to the film, she stated that she would refrain from acting in regional Indian films until her Hindi feature was released, and she turned down an opportunity to work in a Mani Ratnam film. Mohenjo Daro was published in 2016. The Hollywood Reporter's Lisa Tsering remarked of her performance, "brings a forgettable blandness to her sparsely sketched role." Shubha Shetty Saha wrote for IndiaTimes, "Pooja Hegde is pretty and makes quite a confident debut." The film was a box office disappointment. In 2017, she co-starred with Allu Arjun in the Telugu-language vigilante action comedy film Duvvada Jagannadham. Manoj Kumar R, writing for The Indian Express, found that "Pooja Hegde has convincingly done the given job, which is to look stunning in every frame of the film." She looks very stunning in all of the song moments." The film was a box office hit, grossing over 150 crore.
Commercial success (from 2018 to the present)
Hegde appeared in three Telugu films in 2018. The first is a cameo in the song "Jigelu Rani" from the historical drama Rangasthalam. The song was popular on YouTube, and her performance was lauded. Later, opposite Jr. NTR in Saakshyam, alongside Bellamkonda Sreenivas and Trivikram Srinivas-directed action-drama Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava.The film earned favorable reviews and became a box office success. According to News18's Haricharan Pudipeddi, "Pooja Hegde gets a meaty part and she deserves praise" for it. Janani K, writing for India Today, thought "she has done a commendable job" in it. She also appeared in three films in 2019: Maharshi, Gaddalakonda Ganesh, and Housefull 4. Maharshi is a Telugu film directed by Vamsi Paidipally with Mahesh Babu in the lead role. When it first came out, it received mixed reviews. At the 68th National Film Awards, the film was named Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Her second Telugu film was the Harish Shankar-directed Gaddalakonda Ganesh, a remake of the 2014 Tamil-language film Jigarthanda, which also starred Varun Tej and Atharvaa. The picture garnered favorable reviews. After a three-year hiatus, Hegde returned to Bollywood with Sajid Nadiadwala's comedy film Housefull 4, directed by Farhad Samji and starring her as Rajkumari Mala and Pooja (reincarnated), which grossed over 296 crore worldwide.
Her 2020 Telugu-language action drama film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, directed by Trivikram and starring Allu Arjun, marks their second collaboration with Arjun and Trivikram, following DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham (2017) and Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018). A critic for The Times of India said of her portrayal, "Pooja Hegde manages to bring spunk into a character that is nothing more than a manic pixie dream girl, but she sure is a delight to watch on-screen." With around 280 crore, the film became the third highest-grossing Telugu film of all time. She won multiple prizes for her performance, including the SIIMA Award for Best Actress - Telugu. Hegde's dancing performance in the song "Butta Bomma" drew a lot of attention.
Hegde appeared in the 2021 film Most Eligible Bachelor, directed by Bommarillu Bhaskar, opposite Akhil Akkineni, in which she played a stand-up comedian. Her performance in the film was praised by critics and earned her the SIIMA Award for Best Actress - Telugu. In 2022, Hegde co-starred alongside Prabhas in the multilingual period romance film Radhe Shyam, directed by Radha Krishna Kumar. The performance of Hegde was praised. The film's song "Aashiqui Aa Gayi" also acquired fame among fans, who praised Hegde's grace and charm. Her second feature that year was the Tamil film Beast, directed by Nelson and starring Vijay. The film, which was released on April 13, marked her return to Tamil cinema after a nine-year absence. "Pooja Hegde looks pretty and does a decent job," remarked Divya Nair of Rediff.com about her performance. According to Sowmya Rajendran of The News Minute, "Pooja is gorgeous in 'Arabic Kuthu.'" The film has grossed over 250 crores globally. Her next appearance was in the Koratala Siva-directed film Acharya, in which she co-starred with Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan. These three films were flops on the box office. In the party song "Life Ante Itta Vundaala," she performed her second dance number in the film, F3, alongside Venkatesh and Varun Tej.Her most recent release in 2022 was Rohit Shetty's Hindi film Cirkus, in which she portrayed one of the female leads opposite Ranveer Singh. Saibal Chatterjee, writing for NDTV, described her performance as "better." According to Bollywood Hungama, she "looks stunning" and performs "okay" in it.
Projects in the works
She will co-star with Salman Khan in Farhad Samji's Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, which is set to be released on April 21, 2023. She will also act in Trivikram Srinivas' upcoming film with Mahesh Babu, reportedly titled #SSMB28. She will join the sets of the film after Dussehra, which began filming last week.
Other work and media representation
Hegde is regarded as one of Telugu cinema's most popular actors. She was ranked seventh on Forbes India's Most Influential Stars on Instagram in South Cinema for 2021. According to Nikita Sawant of Femina, "Hegde has a refreshing charm about her, and she also has some serious acting chops."
Hegde has repeatedly appeared on the Times' list of the Most Desirable Women. She was named the Most Desirable Woman in 2017 by the Hyderabad Times. She was ranked fifth in 2019 and third in 2020 on the same list. She actively promotes various companies and products, including Citra, pTron, and Garnier.
Hegde established her own nonprofit called "All About Love" in 2021. "All About Love is just a small way of giving back to society," she explained. I am grateful to the folks who have placed me in a position where I can make a difference in someone's life today." She has also aided numerous cancer patients and foundations. She donated 2.5 lakh to the Cure Foundation in 2020 for the same purpose.
 | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Language(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Mugamoodi | Shakthi | Tamil | |
| 2014 | Oka Laila Kosam | Nandana "Nandu" | Telugu | |
| Mukunda | Gopika | Telugu | ||
| 2016 | Mohenjo Daro | Chaani | Hindi | |
| 2017 | Duvvada Jagannadham | Pooja | Telugu | |
| 2018 | Rangasthalam | Jigelu Rani | Telugu | Special appearance in song "Jigelu Rani" |
| Saakshyam | Soundarya Lahari | Telugu | ||
| Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava | Aravinda | Telugu | ||
| 2019 | Maharshi | Pooja | Telugu | |
| Gaddalakonda Ganesh | Sridevi | Telugu | ||
| Housefull 4 | Rajkumari Mala/Pooja | Hindi | Dual role | |
| 2020 | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo | Amulya | Telugu | |
| 2021 | Most Eligible Bachelor | Vibha | Telugu | |
| 2022 | Radhe Shyam | Prerana | Telugu Hindi | Bilingual film |
| Beast | Preethi | Tamil | ||
| Acharya | Neelambari | Telugu | ||
| F3 | Herself | Telugu | Special appearance in song "Life Ante Itta Vundaala" | |
| Cirkus | Mala | Hindi | ||
| 2023 | Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan | Bhagya Gundamaneni | Hindi | Post-production |
| SSMB28 | TBA | Telugu | Filming |
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2nd South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Female Debutant – Tamil | Mugamoodi | Nominated |
| 2015 | 4th South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Female Debut – Telugu | Oka Laila Kosam | Nominated |
| 62nd Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress – Telugu | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Stardust Awards | Superstar of Tomorrow – Female | Mohenjo Daro | Nominated |
| 2017 | Zee Telugu Golden Awards | Entertainer Of The Year (Female) | DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham | Won |
| Favourite Heroine of the Year | Won | |||
| 2019 | 66th Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress – Telugu | Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava | Nominated |
| Sakshi Excellence Awards | Most Popular Actress of the Year | Won | ||
| 2020 | 9th South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Actress – Telugu | Maharshi | Nominated |
| Zee Cine Awards Telugu | Favourite Actress | Won | ||
| 2021 | 9th South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Actress - Telegu | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo | Won |
| 7th Sakshi Excellence Awards | Most Popular Actress of the Year | Won | ||
| 2022 | 67th Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress – Telugu | Nominated | |
| 10th South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Actress – Telugu | Most Eligible Bachelor | Won | |
| Critics Award for Best Actress – Telugu | Won | |||
| Youth Icon (Female) | — | Won | ||
| 2023 | Bollywood Hungama Style Icons | Most Stylish Mould Breaking Star (Female) | — | Nominated |
| Most Stylish Trend Setter (Female) | — | Nominated | ||
| Most Stylish Haute Stepper | — | Nominated | ||
| Most Stylish Glam Star | — | Nominated | ||
| Pinkvilla Style Icons Awards | Stylish Game Changer - Female | — | Won |
| Bio | |
| Real Name | Pooja Hegde |
| Profession | Actress, Model |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height | in centimeters- 175 cm in meters- 1.75 m in Feet Inches- 5' 9" |
| Weight | in Kilograms- 53 Kg in Pounds- 117 lbs |
| Figure Measurements | 34-25-34 |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 13 October 1990 |
| Age (as in 2022) | 32 Years |
| Birth Place | Mangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Libra |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Udupi, Karnataka, India |
| School | Not Known |
| College | Not Known |
| Educational Qualifications | Master of Commerce |
| Debut | Film: Mugamoodi (2012) |
| Family | Father- Manjunath Hegde Mother- Lata Hegde Sister- N/A Brother- Rishabh Hegde (Doctor) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Hobbies | Dancing, Travelling, Singing, Reading |
| Controversies | None |
| Favourite Things | |
| Favourite Food | Biryani, Pizza |
| Favourite Actor | Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Leonardo Di Caprio and Aamir Khan |
| Favourite Actress | Madhuri Dixit, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Sandra Bullock |
| Favourite Musician | A.R.Rahman, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Bryan Adams, Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga |
| Boys, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Affairs/Boyfriends | Not Known |
| Husband | N/A |
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