After her demure girl-next-door look in the films Oka Laila Kosam and Mukunda got her rave reviews, the release of Duvvada Jagannadham marked a complete image makeover for actress Pooja Hegde. She not only emerged as the new heartthrob but also became the talking point of T-Town. From being the cute girl, she was now the “sexy” and “hot” diva.
“I thought it would be a welcome change since the audience would see me in a new avatar. I was quite excited about it and worked towards my look in the film. I don’t just want to be a cute girl all the time. I want the best of both the worlds,” she says, adding, “Having said that, I think sexy is just an attitude. One can wear a plain white t-shirt and blue denims and still look sexy. For me, sexy is more of a frame of mind than one’s clothes.”
While she’s become the girl that many aspire to be, Pooja tells us she never thought of herself as desirable. “I was a complete tomboy with short hair, braces and bushy eyebrows. Never in my wildest dreams did I think about venturing into showbiz. In my mind, I didn’t look good. This was till someone from a beauty pageant came to my college and insisted that I take part. That’s how the seed was planted and I got the confidence to be here,” she says with a smile.
As for her interests apart from films, Pooja says, “Actors sometimes lead very boring lives. The schedule is set: Shoot. Back to the room. Shoot and again back to the room. So I just sleep soon after! I live for those days when I am so tired that I hit the bed and fall asleep. For me, that’s a thrill. I like being that tired!” But she does add that she has a keen interest in learning new skills. In fact, she’s presently learning the guitar and shares, “I am pretty okay with it. In fact, I think I can sing to survive.”
Her social media posts reveal that fitness is something she’s passionate about. “Well, I was always a lazy person who was never keen to hit the gym. However, today, it has become an important part of my life and I have to do it. However, I don’t exert myself a lot. I hit the gym for 45 minutes to an hour six days a week and that’s enough for me. I believe in giving my all in that span of time. What I love about working out is the sense of accomplishment when you see your body getting fitter and changing. I live to eat and don’t follow a diet. I just believe in training and eating smart,” she explains.
Brought up in Mumbai, Pooja grew up learning Tulu, her mother tongue, alongside Hindi, Marathi and English. But she shares that she has always had a flair for languages and that’s how Telugu came easily to her. “When I was shooting for Oka Laila... and Mukunda, my Telugu was decent as I was interacting with everyone, my staff and unit members, in Telugu. However, a gap of two years with Mohenjo Daro, and I am back to square one! But I will pick up real quickly,” she assures on a parting note.
