Must Read! I said no to a lot of Bollywood films because I was doing well in the South: Pooja Hegde on being more popular in the South

MUMBAI: Pooja Hegde has made quite a popular name in the south industry. She is not only known for her acting skills but also for her beautiful looks. The actress will be seen sharing the screen with Prabhas in the movie Radhe Shyam.

Also read:Pooja Hegde's extra efforts to ensure her roles in movies don't get sidelined

In a recent interview, Pooja Hegde was asked about her experience of working with Prabhas and if he is really a shy person. The actress said, "Actually, Prabhas is not as shy as he keeps telling people he is. We really had a blast working together on this film. I guess with me, he is very chilled out and comfortable as it is a love story and not like a regular action flick. So we bond, and our chemistry looks great on the screen. He is quite a goofy person compared to what you see in the Baahubali and what you see on screen. He keeps ragging me on the sets. He is a very naughty guy, and I think he is shy with people whom he actually doesn't know. 

The actress was then asked about being a bigger star down South than in Hindi cinema. Pooja said, "I think it is really empowering to choose. After Mohenjo Daro didn't work, being someone who is not from the industry, I felt that your second film becomes bigger than your first film in a lot of ways. Nobody thinks that she didn't go to an acting school or all that. There is no concession that is given. It is like a showreel or the audition to the world. And then your film doesn't work where you think it is the biggest launch with a superstar like Hrithik Roshan. Then I was like my second film should be better and gives me more eyeballs."

She adds, "I got a lot of offers, but I personally didn't want to do anything. At the same time  there were bigger films coming my way in the South. And I believe that work attracts work. And slowly, people started accepting me in the Telugu cinema. They are very possessive about me because when I announced that I am doing a Hindi film they were questioning it. I think the South and Hindi industries work in very different ways. They love their stars and idol worship them. The kind of fan following is crazy. They have given me this pan-India reach which today I can capitalize on in a lot of ways. I said no to a lot of Bollywood films because I was doing well in the South. Those films didn't do well at the box office. They didn't do well for the stars who were in them. So, I think it is great. It is empowering and I actually feel really blessed.

What are your viewers on Pooja Hegde's South and Hindi films? Do let us know in the comment section.

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Also read: Pooja Hegde: Experimenting with different ensembles is exciting for me