This period romantic drama was released in multiple languages. Although the film received mixed reviews for its pacing and story, Pooja’s performance as Prerana—a strong-willed doctor conflicted about love—was considered the film’s emotional anchor. The envisioned for Radhe Shyam was about moving beyond the "glamour doll" image. She wanted to be seen as a romantic lead who drives the narrative, not just reacts to the hero. Critical Acclaim vs. Commercial Masala One must look at the diversity of her roles. On one hand, she does high-octane masala films like Beast (Tamil) with Vijay and F3 (Telugu) with Venkatesh and Varun Tej. In Beast , her item number Arabic Kuthu broke YouTube records, becoming one of the most-viewed Indian songs of the year.
She returned to Bollywood with , a reincarnation comedy that was a box office smash. Playing a double role (Rajkumari Mala and Pooja), she proved she could handle slapstick comedy and period glamour simultaneously. Following this, she starred in Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus (2022) alongside Ranveer Singh. While Cirkus was a critical disaster, Pooja’s dancing and comic timing in the song Current Laga Re were widely praised. The Pan-India Appeal: "Radhe Shyam" and Beyond As the lines between Bollywood and South Indian cinema blurred, Pooja Hegde found herself at the center of the Pan-India movement. Her most ambitious project during this phase was Radhe Shyam (2022) with Prabhas. film pooja hegde
But the film that cemented her as the "Queen of Style" in Tollywood was undoubtedly . Directed by Trivikram Srinivas, this film became a cultural phenomenon. Pooja played Amulya, a character that was equal parts sass and heart. The film broke records, and the song Butta Bomma became an anthem, famous as much for Pooja Hegde’s traditional glamour as for the choreography. This period romantic drama was released in multiple