Pooja Hegde Brings Drama to ELLE Cover

Some covers are simply pretty, and then there are covers like this—unapologetically bold and impossible to scroll past. Pooja Hegde, basking in cream bralette chic with a bouquet in hand, stuns as the new ELLE Digital Cover Star. Her fashion picks—a black and silver sleeveless top with matching shorts, a sheer black skirt paired with a sultry bralette—aren’t just head-turners, they’re statements. And in true Pooja fashion, she pairs the aesthetic with authenticity.

Behind the glam, there’s grit. Talking about her upcoming Tamil film Retro, where she stars opposite Suriya, Pooja reveals a raw, transformative experience. “It’s a completely different me,” she says, reflecting on the challenges of shooting on Viper Island amid rough conditions and real viper sightings. The highlight? A single-take, 15-minute action-dance-emotion combo shot that pushed her beyond limits. “That moment brought back my belief in the magic of cinema,” she shares.

After more than a decade in the industry, Pooja has stepped into her power—not just on screen, but off it too. No longer hesitant to say no, she now chooses roles with intent and voices what matters. “It’s not about just doing a film—it’s about doing something that resonates,” she asserts. Retro hits theatres on May 1, and with Pooja in this new light, both the film and the performer are already sparking conversation.