DESI DOES IT!: The brief was to go with Indian traditional wear for a film promotion on a TV show. So, we went with this tiered lehenga-choli in yellow. The silhouette was modern despite the desi vibe

As told to Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 25, 2020)

I started working with Pooja Hegde when we collaborated for the promotions of Housefull 4. At the risk of it being a cliché, I have to say that she is very easy to work with, open to suggestions and experimentation. She may be only a few films old, but Pooja is very sure of who she is as a person. I want that confidence to reflect in her clothes, which is why we don’t hesitate in going with bold silhouettes and colours.

We have several fitting sessions where we discuss every look that I have shortlisted; why it can or cannot work. Pooja has inputs, but she is not fussy and that makes her every stylist’s dream come true. She has a great body, so most things work on her. Also, since she has been doing a mix of different kinds of attires, she is not associated with any one particular look.

Her personal preferences are cute, girly clothes. I think short dresses look amazing on her because they show off her long legs. She loves trying out different colours, but nothing works like yellow, which looks beautiful against her skin tone. But if you ask me to create a signature look for Pooja, I would put her in a red, body-hugging gown with cherry lips. She has never dressed in such a flirty manner, but for some reason, I feel it will go really well with her personality. She has the body and attitude to work it.


SHORT CUT: The vibe that we were going for with this look was high-street casualchic. Denim shorts paired with a simple red tank top and a jacket worked well with the striped stilettos

JUST PEACHY: Pooja has well-toned abs and this peach co-ord set—crop top and highwaisted skirt—looked amazing on her. We paired it with some simple studs and a pair of white strappy stilettos


TAKE A BOW: A simple, classic white shirt dress that is made distinctive with a huge bow in front, was perfect for a radio show. We went with minimal accessories around the neck, keeping the rest of the look clean and graceful

HOP, SKIP, AND JUMP!: We elevated a regular denim jumpsuit by pairing it with a neon-yellow tank top that is currently all the rage. The look was completed with a pair of white high-tops and glares, making it perfect for a day out

As told to Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 23, 2018)

The first time I got paid for a job was during my school days when I was eight. My grandfather was an active member of the Mumbai Athletic Association and since I knew a bit of calligraphy, he made me write the names in my flowing hand on the certificates handed out to student participants during sport meets. The Rs 200 I got made me feel like I had won a jackpot!

Growing up, I was a shy girl who suffered from acute stage fright. When I joined college, I decided I needed to become more outgoing and started signing up for everything. This boosted my confidence but once, during a college event in 2009, while dancing on Madhuri Dixit’s “Aaja Nachle” song, I just froze and went on doing the same step for four minutes. Around 15,000 spectators saw me make a fool of myself but surprisingly, I was spotted by a Miss India talent scout who urged me to enter the contest. My first reaction was, “I don’t look good.” I’d been a tomboy with short hair and braces, never touched my mother’s lipstick or dressed up like a girl. But she insisted I give it a shot. So, I took part in the pageant that year and though I didn’t make it to the final round, I was voted Miss India Talented. The next year, I made it to the final round of Miss India South and was the second runners-up in the Miss Universe 2010 contest.

After that, I was flooded with offers for ramp shows and ads. I started with a Rs 3000 a day pay check, which went up to Rs 5000 and then doubled. Meanwhile, I had started getting offers for films down South but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to act. A friend insisted I send my pictures and I ended up bagging the lead in the first Tamil superhero film, Mugamoodi. I still wasn’t sure but my mom convinced me, reasoning that people pay to learn acting and here I was getting paid to learn how to act. The film opened on August 31, 2012, was dubbed in Telugu as Mask and released in Hindi as Mahabali Ek Super Hero.

I continued with my commercials but honestly, that wasn’t a very exciting phase. For a year, I had been giving auditions but the jobs I wanted, eluded me. I only ended up getting work I didn’t want to do. Then, one day, just when I was getting into an ad audition, a crow shat on me. “This might as well be lucky for me,” I consoled myself. To my surprise, I ended up being short-listed.

After one more test, the girl auditioning me reacted with a “Good… Good!” Nervously, I asked her if I could do a take. She told me shortly it wasn’t required. It seemed like she had lost interest and turning to my mother, I sighed, “I don’t think I’m getting the ad.” But after some days, my manager called me to inform that I had got it. She was more excited than I was. I realised later why when I discovered that it featured Ranbir Kapoor opposite me.

That commercial grabbed a lot of eyeballs. Sunita Gowariker spotted me in it and recommended me to her filmmaker husband Ashutosh for his period extravaganza, Mohenjo Daro. And I began my innings in Bollywood with another reel life superhero, Hrithik Roshan.

Today, I have the fourth instalment of Sajid Nadidawala’s Housefull franchise to look forward to. And Saaho, the action thriller opposite Baahubali superstar Prabhas. Who would have imagined that shy Pooja would be happy in the spotlight today but that’s life!