Pooja Hegde, a model and actor, began her journey in the pageant world in 2009 as she participated in Femina Miss India 2009. Even though she won the Miss India Talented 2009 award, she failed to win a place in the Top. Pooja did not give up and participated in I am She – Miss India Universe’s debut edition in 2010. With her stunning beauty and talent, Pooja placed as the second runner-up at the end of the event finale.

From her pageantry stint, Pooja gained a lot of appreciation and attention as she began her journey in the film industry in South India making her debut in the Mysskin-directed Tamil superhero movie Mugamoodi in the year 2012. She then featured in the Telugu films Oka Laila Kosam and Mukunda (2014), while signing on to feature as the lead actress in Ashutosh Gowariker's Mohenjo Daro in 2016 along with Hrithik Roshan, making it her debut in Bollywood.

Even though Mohenjo daro did not do well at the box office, Pooja was praised for her work in it and went on with her roles in movies like Duvvada Jagannadham, a Telugu film by Allu Arjun. In 2018, she did  a special appearance in the film Rangasthalam followed by Saakshyam, a Telugu film opposite Bellamkonda Sreenivas and Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava, a Telugu action film directed by Trivikram Srinivas opposite Jr. NTR.

In 2019, she appeared in Maharshi, a Telugu action film, directed by Vamsi Paidipally opposite Mahesh Babu. Her biggest break yet is yet to come as she is working with none other than Salman Khan in his upcoming film Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, which will be directed by Farhad Samji.

There is no doubt that Pooja Hegde has made a successful life for herself professionally after her stint in the pageantry. Even though we would have loved to see her represent India at an international platform such as Miss Universe, this beauty queen has definitely stolen our hearts with her hard work, elegance and grace.