Bollywood may shine on the surface, but beneath the glamour lies a murky world of PR games, paid trolling, and gender discrimination.
Actress Pooja Hegde, known for working with top stars across industries, has now spoken out about these harsh realities. She revealed how targeted campaigns are used to defame actors and how women often face subtle yet persistent discrimination on film sets.
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In a recent Filmfare interview, Pooja shared her shock at discovering the extent of negative PR in the industry. She recalled being continuously trolled by meme pages, only to learn that people were paying huge amounts to spread negativity about her.
“When my team reached out, we found out that lakhs were being spent on this. They even offered us the same rate to troll others,” she revealed. Initially, this affected her and her family, but she later saw it as a sign of her success. “If they want to pull you down, it means you’re ahead of them,” she remarked.
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Beyond PR politics, Pooja also highlighted gender discrimination in the industry. Despite starring alongside Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan, Prabhas, and others, she often felt sidelined.
“It happens everywhere—sometimes openly, sometimes subtly. Male actors get their vanity vans close to the set, while we, dressed in heavy lehengas, have to walk long distances,” she pointed out.
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She also expressed frustration over being omitted from posters despite playing lead roles.
Interestingly, when asked about her favorite co-star, Pooja didn’t name a male star but praised Anushka Sharma for succeeding without a godfather. “I relate to Anushka. She avoids parties, and so do I,” she said.
Going forward, Pooja plans to be more selective with her films, ensuring she gets the recognition she deserves. Her revelations have sparked an important conversation, exposing the darker side of Bollywood’s power dynamics.
