Pooja Hegde: I’ve been offered female-led films, that’s boosted my confidence – Times of India
Pooja Hegde, who completes a decade in the movie business this year, believes that it was sheer destiny that she became an actor. Belonging to a family of academic-led professionals, she became the only one to pursue performing arts. “I do think that sometimes things happen for a reason. Who would have thought that a girl from an academically-driven family would land up here! Also, I think this profession and this business picked me and not the other way around. Destiny held my hand and pulled me into this world. I am grateful for that,” says Pooja, who headlines the multilingual Radhe Shyam, co-starring Prabhas, which released on Friday.
The film went on the floors in 2018 and was released in 2022. During this time, Pooja completed several projects in Hindi and Telugu, including Allu Arjun-starrer Ala Vaikunthapuramuloo. Shuttling between industries not only helped her mature as an artiste, but also presented her with opportunities to team up with some promising and big names in both industries. Bring that up, and Pooja says, “All my directors and my co-stars have repeatedly worked with me, which I think is the biggest compliment for any actor. When someone decides to work with you again, it says a lot about your work. It also cements my reasons to sleep less and work more.”
Pooja may have some great projects in her kitty now, but she did not have it easy. In the last 10 years, while she saw quite a few successes, she also experienced failures.
“I have fallen down, and I don’t shy away from that. I got up, dusted myself and walked right ahead,” Pooja says, adding, “You have to get going. You can’t cry about something not working for too long. The thing is, if I live in constant fear of what can happen if a decision backfires, how will I ever live my life? I came from a middle-class family and with no backing, except for a few people who trusted my abilities. I had nothing to fall back on. It’s only goodwill that has brought me this far, which I have worked hard to build. So, I just want to keep doing the work that has brought me here and not live in fear of an outcome which I can’t even control.”
At a time when many films decided to take the OTT route, Pooja and Prabhas’ Radhe Shyam steered away from it. “I am just happy that films are being released in theatres. Radhe Shyam is a period film with a canvas that had to be experienced in a cinema hall on that large screen. This film is a culmination of four years of all our efforts. I am glad I had put in the effort to understand my character’s inner and outer worlds, which helped me stay with her despite the breaks due to the pandemic,” says Pooja.
But hasn’t releasing films on OTT platforms brought down the pressure on actors for delivering box office numbers? Pooja says, “The kind of business my film, Most Eligible Bachelor, did, it gave others the confidence to put their money on another film that I could shoulder. I’ve been offered female-led stories, and that has boosted my confidence, too. I’ve always wanted to be a producer’s actor who helps them get their money back and more. With the presence of OTT platforms, the pressure of how much money has been made at the box office is definitely off. It has set filmmakers free. They’re increasingly delving into varied narratives without the fear of how it will do at the box office. It is not solely about the entertainment factor, they can easily focus on the content. Of course, it’s amazing when the film does great business.”
The film went on the floors in 2018 and was released in 2022. During this time, Pooja completed several projects in Hindi and Telugu, including Allu Arjun-starrer Ala Vaikunthapuramuloo. Shuttling between industries not only helped her mature as an artiste, but also presented her with opportunities to team up with some promising and big names in both industries. Bring that up, and Pooja says, “All my directors and my co-stars have repeatedly worked with me, which I think is the biggest compliment for any actor. When someone decides to work with you again, it says a lot about your work. It also cements my reasons to sleep less and work more.”
Pooja may have some great projects in her kitty now, but she did not have it easy. In the last 10 years, while she saw quite a few successes, she also experienced failures.
“I have fallen down, and I don’t shy away from that. I got up, dusted myself and walked right ahead,” Pooja says, adding, “You have to get going. You can’t cry about something not working for too long. The thing is, if I live in constant fear of what can happen if a decision backfires, how will I ever live my life? I came from a middle-class family and with no backing, except for a few people who trusted my abilities. I had nothing to fall back on. It’s only goodwill that has brought me this far, which I have worked hard to build. So, I just want to keep doing the work that has brought me here and not live in fear of an outcome which I can’t even control.”
At a time when many films decided to take the OTT route, Pooja and Prabhas’ Radhe Shyam steered away from it. “I am just happy that films are being released in theatres. Radhe Shyam is a period film with a canvas that had to be experienced in a cinema hall on that large screen. This film is a culmination of four years of all our efforts. I am glad I had put in the effort to understand my character’s inner and outer worlds, which helped me stay with her despite the breaks due to the pandemic,” says Pooja.
But hasn’t releasing films on OTT platforms brought down the pressure on actors for delivering box office numbers? Pooja says, “The kind of business my film, Most Eligible Bachelor, did, it gave others the confidence to put their money on another film that I could shoulder. I’ve been offered female-led stories, and that has boosted my confidence, too. I’ve always wanted to be a producer’s actor who helps them get their money back and more. With the presence of OTT platforms, the pressure of how much money has been made at the box office is definitely off. It has set filmmakers free. They’re increasingly delving into varied narratives without the fear of how it will do at the box office. It is not solely about the entertainment factor, they can easily focus on the content. Of course, it’s amazing when the film does great business.”
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