Pooja Hegde breaks the mould

Many actresses who start their journey in South Indian cinema and later move to Bollywood often paint the South industry in a negative light. They accept glamorous roles during their prime, but once they gain traction in Bollywood, they claim the South failed to recognize their talent, dismissing the roles they once embraced as mere glamour doll parts.

Pooja Hegde, however, has taken an entirely different stand, earning praise for her honesty. Though she began her career in Bollywood, it was Telugu and Tamil cinema that gave her the most substantial roles and memorable hits.

In a recent interview, Pooja candidly admitted that Bollywood never offered her strong, performance-driven characters, often casting her solely for glamour appeal. She revealed that most of her Hindi film roles lacked depth and were far from memorable.

In contrast, she lauded South cinema for giving her well-crafted, challenging roles that allowed her to showcase her acting skills. She cited her recent Tamil film Retro, directed by Karthik Subbaraj, as a prime example, calling her character “brilliantly designed” and creatively fulfilling.

Pooja also reflected on her notable Telugu projects such as Aravinda Sametha and Radhe Shyam, where she played characters with emotional depth and significant scope for performance. She contrasted these with her Bollywood portfolio, pointing out that apart from her debut Mohenjo Daro, most roles offered in Hindi cinema were purely glamour-focused.

Her refreshing acknowledgment of South Indian cinema’s value stands out in an industry where many tend to favor Bollywood narratives, making her remarks a breath of fresh air for regional film fans.