Will Pooja Hegde finally make it big in Bollywood with Shahid Kapoor¡¯s Deva?

Pooja Hegde will be seen alongside Shahid Kapoor in Deva, which is slated to hit the screens on Friday (January 31). The action-thriller has garnered a fair deal of attention with its stylish trailer. It comes at a time when Pooja is trying to find a foothold in the Hindi film industry.

The actress, who is a force to reckon with in Telugu cinema, began her Bollywood career with commercially unsuccessful Mohenjo Daro (2016). Her subsequent releases Housefull 4 and Salman Khan¡¯s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan too did not give her career a boost.

So, why hasn¡¯t Pooja Hegde been able to emerge as a top name in Bollywood so far? Moreover, will Deva be a game-changer for her? Let¡¯s find out.

Flops have slowed down Pooja Hegde¡¯s growth in Bollywood

Pooja Hegde, who will be seen playing a journalist in Shahid Kapoor¡¯s Deva, is yet to make a solid impact in Bollywood despite starring in some fairly high-profile films. According to Prashanth Rangaswamy, a critic and tracker, the lacklustre response to the star¡¯s previous Bollywood films has made it harder for her to make inroads in the industry.

¡°Bollywood is not an easy market to penetrate. She needs to give a big hit to find success here,¡± he told Indiatimes.

The actress also hasn¡¯t pursued a career in Hindi films as aggressively as her contemporaries. Moreover, most of her South films haven¡¯t done as well in Hindi as Pushpa and KGF. According to Manobala Vijayabalan, a trade tracker and analyst, she needs to ¡®concentrate¡¯ more on Bollywood.

¡°She has to concentrate more on Bollywood and do more and more films and some heroine centric films too. Also, the past south films which she was part of didn't manage to fetch decent numbers in Hindi belt,¡± he told Indiatimes.

Pooja was seen with Prabhas in Radhe Shyam (2022), which many felt would be a game-changer for her. However, the romantic drama failed to live up to expectations in Hindi. The same year, she suffered another setback when Vijay¡¯s Beast sank without a trace.

Will Deva end the dry spell?

Coming back to the present, Pooja is currently gearing up for the release of Shahid Kapoor¡¯s Deva. The film marks her first collaboration with the Haider star and has grabbed eyeballs with its intense trailer. However, according to Manobala, the film will benefit her only if her role is well fleshed out. He also said that the current advance booking is not up to the mark.

¡°Deva¡¯s current advance is less than ? 1 cr. If the film gets a positive response and if her role is strong she will be able to get into the hearts of Hindi audiences.¡± he said.

Deva is an action thriller, directed by Rosshan Andrrews. The filmmaker is known for his work on Malayalam films such as How Old Are You? and Salute. Deva centres on a defiant cop as he investigates a complex case. The cast includes Pavail Gulati, Kubbra Sait, and Pravesh Rana.

Deva is set to hit the screens on Friday, January 31.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.