Pooja Hegde is an Indian actress and model who appears in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil films. She is currently is one of the most popular and versatile actresses in Indian cinema today.
She was born on October 13, 1990, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She began her career as a model and was crowned the second runner-up at the 2010 I Am She–Miss Universe India pageant.
She made her acting debut with the Tamil film Mugamoodi in 2012 and had her first Telugu release in Oka Laila Kosam in 2014. She is known for her glamorous looks, charming personality and impressive acting skills.
Basic Information
| Full Name | Pooja Hegde |
| Profession | Actress |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 13 October 1990 |
| Age | 32 years |
| Gender | Female |
| Place of Birth | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
Physical Stats:
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (168 cm) |
| Weight | 53 kg (117 lbs) |
| Body Measurements | 34-25-34 inches (86-63.5-86 cm) |
| Eye Color | Brown or Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black or Black (Natural) and often tends to dye her hair ‘dark brown’ |
| Race (Ethnicity) | Asian (Indian) |
| Tattoos on body | |
| Shoe Size | (US) 8 |
| Build | Slim |
Past & Current Relationships:
| Father | Manjunath Hegde |
| Mother | Latha Hegde |
| Siblings | Rishabh Hegde (Doctor) |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Boyfriend(s) | Not mentioned |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
As of 2023, Pooja Hegde is not dating anyone. Pooja Hegde has always been tight-lipped about her personal life and has never confirmed any rumours about her relationships. However, many source state that she has been in relationships with Rohan Mehra in 2020.
She has been linked with some of her co-stars in the past, such as Hrithik Roshan, Naga Chaitanya and Prabhas.
There were rumors circulating on social media that Pooja Hegde was dating her co-star cum Bollywood. Pooja explicitly has maintained that she is single and focused on her career.
Early Life & Education:
Pooja Hegde was born on 13 October 1990 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She hails from the Udupi state of Karnataka and belongs to a Tulu-speaking Brahmin family.
Her father, Manjunath Hegde is a lawyer and her mother, Latha Hegde is an immunologist and genetics professional. She has an elder brother, Rishabh Hegde who is a doctor.
Pooja studied at M.M.K College, Mumbai and completed her post-graduation in commerce.
She is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and used to participate actively in singing, dancing and fashion contests during her college days.
Career Information:
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years Active | 2012–present |
| Upcoming Films | Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023), Jana Gana Mana (2023) |
Pooja Hegde started her career as a model and competed in the Miss India 2009 competition but was eliminated in an early round despite winning the Miss India Talented 2009 honor.
She reapplied the next year and became the second runner-up at Miss Universe India 2010 competition.
She also won Miss India South Glamorous Hair 2010 in the subsidiary competition.
She made her acting debut with the 2012 Tamil movie Mugamoodi, directed by Mysskin.
The film was a superhero thriller and Pooja played the role of Shakthi, a fun-loving girl who falls in love with the protagonist.
The film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences but Pooja’s performance was appreciated.
She then made her Telugu film debut with the 2014 romantic comedy Oka Laila Kosam, opposite Naga Chaitanya Akkineni.
The film was a remake of the Malayalam film Thattathin Marayathu and Pooja played the role of Nandana, a rich girl who falls for a middle-class boy.
The film was a hit at the box office and Pooja received positive feedback for her performance and chemistry with Naga Chaitanya.
She also starred in another Telugu film Mukunda (2014), opposite Varun Tej.
The film was a political drama and Pooja played the role of Gopika, a college student who gets involved in a conflict between two rival groups. The film received average reviews from critics but Pooja’s performance was praised.
She made her Bollywood debut with the 2016 historical drama Mohenjo Daro, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Hrithik Roshan as the lead actor.
The film was set in the ancient Indus Valley civilization and Pooja played the role of Chaani, a priest’s daughter who falls in love with a farmer.
The film was one of the most expensive Indian films ever made but it failed to impress critics and audiences alike.
However, Pooja’s performance was lauded by many critics and she received several nominations for best debut actress awards.
She then returned to Telugu cinema with the 2017 romantic comedy Duvvada Jagannadham (DJ), opposite Allu Arjun.
The film was directed by Harish Shankar and Pooja played the role of Pooja Sharma, an event manager who falls for a Brahmin cook who is secretly a vigilante.
The film was a blockbuster at the box office and Pooja’s performance and glamour quotient were highly appreciated.
In 2018, Hegde starred in Trivikram Srinivas’s action drama Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava opposite Jr NTR.
The film was a critical and commercial success and became one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of all time.
Hegde played Aravinda, a strong-willed woman who influences the protagonist’s transformation from violence to peace.
Hegde received acclaim for her performance and was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu.
In 2019, Hegde appeared in three films: Maharshi, Gaddalakonda Ganesh, and Housefull 4.
Maharshi was a Telugu social drama film directed by Vamsi Paidipally and co-starring Mahesh Babu.
Net Worth and Income:
| Net Worth | $7 million US dollars |
| Salary | INR 3-4 crores per project and INR 40 lakhs for endorsements |
| Sources of Income | Acting in films, brand endorsements, and other projects |
As of 2023, Pooja Hegde’s net worth
is estimated to be $7 million US dollars. Her main source of income is her fees from films, brand endorsements, and other such projects.
She charges a whopping amount of INR 3-4 crores per project and INR 40 lakhs for endorsements.
However, for some films, she charges a higher amount. For example, she charged INR 5 crores for the film Jana Gana Mana and INR 5 crores for the Vijay-starrer KEKD.
Pooja Hegde recently bought a luxurious 3 BHK sea-facing flat in the Bandra area of Mumbai, which is valued at Rs. 6 Crores.
She also has an exquisite and luxurious house in Hyderabad, which is said to be worth almost Rs. 4 Crores.
Pooja has an impressive collection of luxury cars, which include a Porsche Cayenne.
Interesting facts and Trivia
- Pooja Hegde was born and brought up in Mumbai, Maharashtra in a Tulu-speaking family. Her parents are Manjunath Hegde and Latha Hegde. They are originally from Udupi, Karnataka.
- Besides Tulu, she is fluent in English, Hindi and Marathi. She later learnt Telugu following a career in her respective cinema.
- Pooja Hegde competed in the Miss India 2009 competition but was eliminated in an early round despite winning the Miss India Talented 2009 honour. She re-applied the following year and was the second runner-up in the Miss Universe India 2010 competition.
- Pooja Hegde made her acting debut in Mysskin’s Tamil superhero film Mugamoodi (2012) opposite Jiiva, portraying the female lead character of Shakthi, a fun-loving girl who inspires the male lead to change his outlook on society.
- Apart from her acting abilities, Pooja Hegde is also known for her dancing skills in movies. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.
