Pooja Hegde has collaborated with some of the biggest male superstars across different languages. She made her Hindi debut alongside Hrithik Roshan in Mohenjo Daro and has since worked with stars like Vijay, Prabhas, Salman Khan, Jr NTR, Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun, Ranveer Singh, Naga Chaitanya, Ram Charan, and recently, Shahid Kapoor.
According to Indian media, in a candid interview, she shared her experiences with sexism on film sets and expressed her happiness whenever she reads about female actors earning substantial paychecks. She also mentioned that, moving forward, she will be more selective with the projects she takes on, and when asked about her favorite male co-star, she chose to name a woman instead.
Speaking to Filmfare, Pooja discussed her experiences with male co-stars, acknowledging that sexism exists in all industries, but to varying extents.
She explained, “Some of it is very blatant, while some of it is subtle, like how the male actor’s vanity van is parked right near the set, and we, in our heavy costumes, have to walk a long distance. Sometimes, I think, ‘Hey, think about us, we’re dragging ourselves in such heavy outfits.’”
She pointed out that subtle sexism also includes things like not having your name on a poster, or not being credited for your contribution to a film, even in love stories.
Pooja admitted that despite working with many male stars who’ve earned their place over the years, she sometimes feels like a second-class citizen on sets, even when she’s technically the bigger star.
When asked about her experiences with massive stars like Prabhas and Salman Khan, she revealed that she admires Anushka Sharma the most because of her independent journey, and relates to her personality.
“I feel thankful to have someone like her who doesn’t go for parties, just like me,” Pooja said. She also praised Scarlett Johansson for balancing major blockbusters with indie films like Lost in Translation and Marriage Story.
