Actor Pooja Hegde has revealed that she was 'heartbroken' after her first Hindi film Mohenjo Daro, which released in 2016, bombed at the box office while receiving mixed to negative reviews from the target audience.
Speaking to Mid Day, the star said that the debacle forced her to put her Bollywood dreams on hold as she wanted to make an impressive comeback with a 'sturdy' movie.
"I held off signing Hindi films because I needed a sturdy second movie," she added.
Also read: Pooja Hegde not playing double role in Prabhas-starrer 'Radhe Shyam'
Mohenjo Daro, directed by ace filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, was a period-drama that revolved around the journey of valiant young Samar and highlighted various unknown aspects of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
The film starred Hrithik Roshan in the lead role with Pooja playing his love interest. Shot against a budget of around Rs 115 crore, it collected Rs 107 crore at the worldwide box office much to the disappointment of fans and trade analysts. The biggie had a strong supporting cast that included Kabir Bedi, Nitish Bharadwaj, Shaji Chaudhary and Arunoday Singh.
Pooja eventually put the Mohenjo Daro debacle behind her and returned to Bollywood with the Akshay Kumar-starrer Housefull 4, which made a good impact at the box office. She also consolidated her standing in Telugu cinema with successful films such as Aravinda Sametha and Maharshi. The star was last seen in the Tollywood blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, co-starring Allu Arjun.
Pooja will soon be seen alongside actor Prabhas in the Hindi-Telugu bilingual Radhe Shyam, directed by 'Jil' Radha Krishna Kumar. The film has been shot in exotic locations and is likely to cater to the tastes of the pan-India audience. The romantic-drama is expected to hit screens in 2021.
'Jigelu Rani' will be teaming up with Salman Khan for Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, one of the biggest films of her career. The star also has the Telugu movie Most Eligible Bachelor, co-starring Akhil Akkineni, in her kitty. The film is expected to release during Sankranti 2021