We have learned that Pooja Hegde has been roped in to star alongside Varun Dhawan in David Dhawan’s upcoming directorial venture. This is contrary to previous reports suggesting actress Sreeleela, who has predominantly worked in South films such as Guntur Kaaram and Bhagavanth Kesari, among others, will make her Hindi debut with this film. Sources close to the project confirm that Pooja has been chosen to play the leading lady, marking her first collaboration with Varun.

When we reached out to Pooja, she said, “I have a bunch of announcements coming. I just let the production house announce it. Going ahead, you are going to see me in different roles. This year, I decided to take a step back, watch my entire filmography, and decide what I want to do next.”

The yet-to-be-titled project also stars Mrunal Thakur and marks the reunion of the father-son duo (Varun–David) after a decade.

Earlier in an interview, Pooja spoke about reflecting on her journey. "I’ve taken moments to reflect on my journey. With my relentless work ethic, I often find myself moving from one project to the next, keeping busy. However, when I do pause and cast a glance back at my career, it’s a humbling realisation. Not bad for a shy, introverted girl with stage fright and no connections in the film industry. I didn’t have a godfather to pave the way, but it seems the universe had its own plans. There’s still a long road ahead, with a list of esteemed filmmakers I aspire to collaborate with, characters I’m eager to portray and plenty yet to prove," she said in an interview.