Pooja Hegde (/puːdʒɑːhɛɡdeɪ/; born 13 October 1990) is an Indian actress who primarily works inTelugu,Hindi andTamil films. One of the highest-paid actresses of South Indian cinema,[1] Hegde is a recipient of fourSIIMA Awards along with fourFilmfare Awards South nominations.
After participating in the 2010Miss Universe India beauty pageant, Hegde made her film debut with the Tamil filmMugamoodi (2012). She gained recognition in Telugu cinema with roles inOka Laila Kosam andMukunda (both 2014), and achieved wider success with the action comedyDJ: Duvvada Jagannadham (2017). Her Bollywood debut came withMohenjo Daro (2016) oppositeHrithik Roshan, followed by a commercial success in the ensemble comedyHousefull 4 (2019).
Pooja Hegde was born on 13 October 1990,[2][3] and states she was raised inMumbai, Maharashtra in aTulu-speakingBunt family.[4][5] Her father, Manjunath Hegde, is a criminal lawyer and her mother, Latha Hegde, is an immunologist and entrepreneur.[6] They are originally fromUdupi, Karnataka.[7] Her elder brother Rishabh Hegde, is an orthopaedic surgeon.[8] Besides Tulu, she is fluent in English,Hindi,Marathi andKannada.[9] She later learntTelugu following a career in Telugu cinema.[10] She considersBengaluru as her home town, and maintains strong connections there.[7][11] She did her schooling in Maneckji Cooper Education Trust School, Mumbai.[12] She went toM. M. K. College, graduating with aBachelor of Commerce degree.[13] She has trained in classical dance and music, includingBharatanatyam.[14][15][16]
A representative from Miss India met Hegde at one of her college events and suggested her to participate in the pageant.[17][18] Hegde competed in theMiss India 2009 competition, but was eliminated in an early round despite winning the Miss India Talented 2009 honour.[19][20] In 2010, she participated in theFemina Miss India South 2010 pageant, securing the runner-up position and earning the Miss India South Glamorous Hair 2010 title.[20] Later that same year, she achieved the position of second runner-up in theMiss Universe India 2010 pageant.[21] She rejected offers of several projects from big production banners over three years before debuting inMugamoodi.[22] She accepted the project by her mother's suggestion.[23]
Career
Early work (2012–2017)
After noticing still photographs of her pageant win,[24]Mysskin offered Hegde her debut in his Tamilsuperhero filmMugamoodi (2012) oppositeJiiva.[25] She portrayed Shakthi, a fun-loving girl who inspires the male lead to change his outlook on society.[26] Hegde practised Tamil dialogues for the film by writing and memorising words in English, adding similarities between Tamil and her mother tongue Tulu.[27]
Expanding toTelugu cinema in 2014, Hegde starred oppositeNaga Chaitanya in the romantic comedyOka Laila Kosam.[31][32] The success of the production houseAnnapurna Studios and director Vijay Konda's previous ventures prompted her to sign the project.[33] She learned Telugu language to play the female lead.[33] Her portrayal of Nandana received positive reception.[34] Ranjani Rajendra ofThe Hindu was appreciative of Hegde's screen presence,[35] while Suresh Kavirayani ofDeccan Chronicle lauded her debut.[36] Around the same time, she was nominated forFilmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu.[37] The film proved to be a commercial success.[38] Hegde was next cast oppositeVarun Tej inSrikanth Addala's dramaMukunda.[39] Reviewers of the film were generally pleased with the chemistry between the lead pair.[40][41] Hegde has said that the song "Gopikamma" marked a major breakthrough in her career.[42] It became another successful financial venture for her.[43]
In 2018, Hegde featured in three Telugu films. She began the year with anitem number "Jigelu Rani" for the period actionRangasthalam.[52] She next starred oppositeBellamkonda Sreenivas in the fantasy actionSaakshyam, portraying the role of a middle-classBrahmin girl who was a spiritual leader.[53] Murali Krishna C H found that she "gets more screen time in this film compared to her last outingDJ and she does a good job".[54] In her final appearance that year, she played the titular character inAravinda Sametha Veera Raghava directed byTrivikram Srinivas, where she dubbed for herself.[55] She played Aravinda, who significantly influenced Veera Raghava Reddy (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.), to challenge the deep-rooted enmity and seek a path of non-violence and self-discovery.[56][57] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo fromThe Hindu credited her role as "impressive" and wrote that she "gets to be more than a glam doll and enjoys her role".[58] The film was the second-highest-grossing Telugu film of the year and grossed over₹1.8 billion (US$21 million) worldwide attaining ablockbuster status.[59]
In 2020, she reunited with both Arjun and Trivikram in the Telugu action drama filmAla Vaikunthapurramuloo, in which she portrayed the role of a travel company head Amulya, a self-made businesswoman.[67] Neeshita Nyayapati noted that "Hegde manages to bring in spunk into a character that is nothing more than a manic pixie dream girl, but she sure is a delight to watch on-screen".[68] Her performance fetched her several awards, including theSIIMA Award for Best Actress – Telugu.[69] Hegde's dance performance in the song "Butta Bomma" received wide response.[70] The film became the first South Indian film to achieve₹2 billion (US$24 million) nett in single language[71] and was ranked among the highest-grossing Telugu films of all time, grossing over₹2.8 billion (US$33 million).[72] In 2021, Hegde starred inMost Eligible Bachelor, directed byBommarillu Bhaskar oppositeAkhil Akkineni, in which she played the role of a stand-up comedian.[73] To prepare for the role, she met several stand-up comedians to learn how they prepare their punchlines.[74] Her performance in the film received positive reception and won her another SIIMA Best Actress – Telugu award.[75] Ram Venkat Srikar fromCinema Express lauded her well-written role and her performance, which does justice to that writing.[76]
She began 2022 by playing the lead oppositePrabhas in the multilingual period romance filmRadhe Shyam, directed byRadha Krishna Kumar.[77] Set in 1970s Europe, the film is a love saga of two individuals with different approaches to life: Vikramaditya (Prabhas), who follows fate and destiny, falls for Dr. Prerana (Hegde), who deeply believes in the power of science.[78] It is one of themost expensive Indian films produced.[79] Monika Rawal Kukreja praised her performance and noted that "she performs the emotional sequences with a lot of maturity and conviction".[80] The film broke record for the highest opening-day earnings, but failed to recoup its₹3 billion (US$35 million) budget.[81] Hegde next starred alongsideVijay in the Tamil action comedyBeast, directed byNelson.[82] Produced bySun Pictures, the film marked her return toTamil cinema after a gap of 9 years.[83] Jose K George ofThe Week wrote that she looks pretty and does a decent job.[84] Hegde's#ArabicKuthuChallenge went viral on social media, and many recreated her signature step.[85] Despite mixed reviews, the film broke several box office records and was a commercial success.[86] In the same year, she took on a brief role in the Telugu-language action drama filmAcharya, starringChiranjeevi and Charan.[87] She performed her second dance number in the film,F3: Fun and Frustration alongsideVenkatesh and Tej in the party song "Life Ante Itta Vundaala".[88] In her final release of 2022, Hegde played one of the female leads oppositeRanveer Singh inRohit Shetty's poorly received Hindi period comedy drama filmCirkus, an adaptation of theWilliam Shakespeare's playThe Comedy of Errors.[89][90]
In 2023, she starred oppositeSalman Khan inKisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, directed byFarhad Samji.[91] She played the role of aTelugu girl who transforms the life of the protective and solitary Bhaijaan (played by Khan). Ronak Kotecha ofThe Times of India, wrote, "Pooja has a meaty role, which she pulls off confidently, but could have dialed down over-the-top filmy antics."[92] The film also underperformed commercially.[93]
Recent work (2025–present)
Following a year hiatus, Hegde began 2025 by playing a journalist Diya oppositeShahid Kapoor in the Hindi action thrillerDeva.[94] Vinamra Mathur fromFirstpost stated that she was "severely underutilized".[95] It had poor box-office returns.[96] She next played Rukmini, a veterinarian oppositeSuriya inKarthik Subbaraj's Tamil filmRetro.[97][98] Avinash Ramachandran ofThe Indian Express was appreciative of her "convincing performance".[99] The film emerged a commercial success.[100][101] Later, she made a special appearance in the Tamil filmCoolie, starringRajinikanth and directed byLokesh Kanagaraj.[102] Her glamorous performance in the dance number "Monica" became widely popular and earned praise from Italian actressMonica Bellucci.[103][104][105] The sequence was physically demanding, filmed in extreme heat, humidity, and dust at a port, causing sunburns, blisters, and lastingtan lines. Marking her first major dance performance after recovering from aligament tear, it required significant resilience, notably while filming onMaha Shivaratri (26 February 2025), when she performed despite fasting.[106]
Hegde supports various causes through her foundation, "All About Love", which focuses on providing education and healthcare support to underprivileged children across India.[112][113] She contributes a portion of her earnings to fund the foundation's operations.[114] Hegde has been vocal on various topics, includingwomen's rights,gender equality, and addressing thegender pay gap.[115][116] She was honoured as the "Star on the Rise" atFemina and Mamaearth's Beautiful Indians 2023 for her philanthropic efforts.[117]
Hegde at Cancer Crusaders Invitation Cup golf tournament
In 2020, Hegde collaborated with Drools on a campaign to supportstray animals, with Drools providing six months' worth of food for homeless strays and Hegde contributing an additional six months' supply.[118] In 2017, she covered the fullmedical expenses for two children at the cancer ward ofTata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.[119][120] In 2020, she participated in a charityfundraiser organised by the Cure Foundation for children with cancer and supported the sixth biennial Cancer Crusaders Invitation Cup golf tournament in Hyderabad to raise funds.[121] In 2021, she launched the 'Hamari Suraksha' digital campaign with the Women and Child Safety Organisation (WCSO) at Women Power Line 1090 inGomti Nagar,Lucknow, promoting awareness of the helpline with hashtags #HumForHer and #FarqPadtaHai.[122] During thefirst and second waves of COVID-19, Hegde provided medical assistance and essential supplies through her foundation.[123] In May 2020, she partnered with photographerAtul Kasbekar and Tring India for aPPE Kit drive, donating 20,000 PPE kits to over 50 hospitals across India.[124] In 2021, during the second wave, she organised the distribution of a month’s rations to 100 families.[125]
Hegde has supported child cancer patients by covering medical bills and provided financial aid to a family whose primary breadwinner was in acoma.[126] Her foundation also donated to a children's hospital inMangalore to support children withartificial limbs.[127] On 5 June 2024, forWorld Environment Day, Hegde ledGarnier's Green Beauty beach clean-up, working as asanitation worker to restore garbage-laden areas in Mumbai, includingJuhu Beach, and encouraged public participation in maintaining cleanliness.[128][129]
Hegde is recognised as one of India's most sought-after actresses.[139][140] She is considered one of the highest-paid South Indian actresses.[1][141] Her journey from a beauty pageant runner-up in 2010 to a leading actress has been marked by her confidence and determination, as noted by Rupam Jain ofIndulge Express.[142] She stood at the 7th place onForbes India's Most Influential Stars on Instagram in South Cinema for the year 2021.[143] She is one of the most-followed South Indian actresses onInstagram.[144]
Hegde in 2025
Nibandh Vinod ofNews18 noted, "With her charming screen presence and versatility, Pooja has become a favorite among audiences and filmmakers alike."[145] Aishwarya Vasudevan ofOTTPlay highlighted her "charisma, screen presence, and a significant fan base across industries".[146] Abhilasha Cherukuri ofThe New Indian Express described her as "one of the very few actors to successfully balance multiple industries", cementing her status as a pan-Indian star.[147] Suman Sharma ofFilmfare called her "an epitome of beauty" whose "ethereal looks are mesmerising", emphasising her ability to balance a demanding career across industries.[148]
Hegde is described as a style icon.[149][150] Dayle Pereira ofNDTV noted that "her aesthetic falls on the more minimal side", citing her ability to make simple outfits look chic.[151] Snigdha Oreya ofNews18 called her "one of the most stylish celebrities in the industry right now".[152] Maaahi Shah ofElle called her "the ultimate fighter" who finds parts of herself in her style choices.[153] She has frequently featured inTimes' Most Desirable Woman list.[154][155] She was theHyderabad Times' Most Desirable Woman of 2017.[156] In the same list, she stood 5th in 2019 and 3rd in 2020.[157][158] She was one of the most searched actresses on Google multiple times and ranked among the most searched Asians in 2022.[159][160][161] Hegde is a prominent celebrity endorser for brands and products, includingCitra,pTron,Garnier,IGP, andMaaza, and was the first brand ambassador forBhima Jewellers.[162][163]
Filmography
Key
†
Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released
^N, Subbarao (13 October 2022)."Pooja Hegde: సామజవరగమనా.. నిను చూసి ఆగగలమా!?".NTV Telugu (in Telugu).Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved27 November 2024.పూజా హెగ్దే 1990 అక్టోబర్ 13న ముంబైలో జన్మించింది. [Pooja Hegde was born on 13 October 1990 in Mumbai]
^Das, Pavna (8 June 2024)."ಅಪ್ಪ-ಅಮ್ಮನ ಜೊತೆ ಬುಟ್ಟ ಬೊಮ್ಮ ಬೆಡಗಿ ಪೂಜಾ ಹೆಗ್ಡೆ, ಇವನ ತಮ್ಮ-ಅಮ್ಮ ಏನ್ಮಾಡ್ತಾರೆ?".Asianet Suvarna News (in Kannada).Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved19 December 2024.ಇವರ ತಂದೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ ಹೆಗ್ಡೆ (Manjunath Hegde), ಕ್ರಿಮಿನಲ್ ಲಾಯರ್ ಹಾಗೂ ತಾಯಿ ಇಮ್ಯೂನೋಲಾಜಿಸ್ಟ್ ಹಾಗೂ ಉದ್ಯಮಿಯೂ ಆಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ. [Her father Manjunath Hegde is a criminal lawyer and her mother is an immunologist and entrepreneur.]
^Rachamalla, Suresh (17 October 2021)."Pooja Hegde: ఈ వ్యక్తి ఎవరు.. పూజా హెగ్డేకి అతనికి ఉన్నసంబంధం ఏంటీ."News18 Telugu (in Telugu).Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved19 December 2024.అంతేకాదు పూజా భారతనాట్యంలో కూడా శిక్షణ పొందింది. ఇంటర్ కాలేజ్ ప్రోగ్రామ్స్ లో, డాన్స్ షోస్ లో ఇంకా ఫ్యాషన్ షోలో పాల్గొనేది [Pooja is also trained in Bharatanatyam. She used to participate in inter-college programs, dance shows and fashion shows.]
^M, Marimuthu (13 October 2024)."மிஷ்கின் கொடுத்த வாழ்வு.. ஹிருத்திக் ரோஷனுடன் லிப் லாக்.. விஜய்யின் கடைசி ஜோடி.. பூஜா ஹெக்டே ஜெயித்த கதை!".Hindustan Times (in Tamil).Archived from the original on 24 December 2024. Retrieved19 December 2024.மாடலிங் செய்துவந்தபோது எடுக்கப்பட்ட புகைப்படங்கள் பல சினிமா இயக்குநர்களின் கைகளுக்குப் போகும். அப்படி, இவரது போட்டோவைப் பார்த்த இயக்குநர் மிஷ்கின், தனது சூப்பர் ஹீரோ படமான 'முகமூடி'யில் கதாநாயகியாக நடிக்க பூஜா சரியாகவும் பாந்தமாகவும் இருப்பார் எனத் தேர்ந்து எடுத்தார். [Photographs taken while modeling would end up in the hands of many film directors. Thus, director Mishkin, who saw her photo, chose Pooja as the heroine in his superhero film 'Mukhamoodi' as she would look perfect and pantheon.]
^Singh, Mohnish (15 October 2022)."Pooja Hegde: When the Stars Align".Eastern Eye.Archived from the original on 27 December 2024. Retrieved15 October 2022.established herself as one of the most-sought-after actresses in India
.jpg)
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
.svg)
