Pooja Hegde is a famous Indian actress who has worked in films of various languages, such as Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. She was born on 13 October 1990 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to a family of Tulu-speaking Bunts from Udupi, Karnataka. Her father, Manjunath Hegde, runs a business and her mother, Lata Hegde, is a housewife. She has an older brother, Rishabh Hegde, who is an orthopaedic surgeon.
Pooja Hegde had a passion for arts and culture since childhood and learned Bharatnatyam dance. She did her schooling from Maneckji Cooper Education Trust School in Mumbai and obtained a Master of Commerce degree from M. M. K. College. She also took part in various dance and fashion shows during her college days.
Pooja Hegde began her career as a model and participated in the Miss India 2009 contest, where she won the Miss India Talented 2009 title. She tried again the next year and became the second runner-up at the Miss Universe India 2010 competition. She also represented India at the Miss Universe 2010 pageant in Las Vegas, USA.
Pooja Hegde made her acting debut in 2012 with the Tamil superhero film Mugamoodi, directed by Mysskin and co-starring Jiiva. She played the role of Shakthi, a lively girl who motivates the hero to change his perspective on life. The film got mixed reviews from critics and did average business at the box office.
Pooja Hegde then entered Telugu cinema with the romantic comedy Oka Laila Kosam in 2014, opposite Naga Chaitanya. She portrayed the role of Nandana, an adventurous girl who falls in love with a conservative boy. The film was well appreciated by critics and audiences alike and earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu.
Pooja Hegde made her Bollywood debut in 2016 with the epic adventure film Mohenjo Daro, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Hrithik Roshan. She played the role of Chaani, a priest's daughter who is chosen as the symbol of Sindhu Ma, the goddess of the Indus Valley Civilization. The film was one of the most costly Indian films ever made and had high expectations, but it failed to impress critics and audiences and flopped at the box office.
Pooja Hegde bounced back with her next Telugu film Duvvada Jagannadham in 2017, opposite Allu Arjun. She played the role of Pooja, a fashion designer who falls in love with a vigilante disguised as a Brahmin cook. The film was a commercial success and established her as one of the leading actresses in Telugu cinema.
Pooja Hegde continued to work in Telugu films and delivered several hits such as Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava (2018), Maharshi (2019), Gaddalakonda Ganesh (2019) and Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020). She won critical acclaim and awards for her performances in these films and became one of the most sought-after actresses in the industry.
Pooja Hegde also returned to Bollywood with the comedy film Housefull 4 in 2019, co-starring Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon and Kriti Kharbanda. She played the dual roles of Rajkumari Mala and Pooja, who are reincarnated lovers from 1419 and 2019 respectively. The film was a huge hit at the box office and became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.
Pooja Hegde is currently working on several projects in different languages, such as Beast (Tamil), Radhe Shyam (Telugu), Acharya (Telugu), Cirkus (Hindi) and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (Hindi). She is also endorsing various brands and products such as Hero Maestro, Lays, Citra, Ponds and FBB.
Pooja Hegde is known for her beauty, charm and versatility as an actress. She has a huge fan following across India and abroad. She is also active on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, where she shares her personal and professional updates with her fans.
Pooja Hegde is an inspiration for many young girls who aspire to make it big in the entertainment industry.
