As the entertainment landscape continues to evolve with the rise of streaming platforms and short-form content, actress Pooja Hegde believes theatrical cinema faces greater scrutiny than ever before. Having spent over a decade working across Telugu, Tamil and Hindi film industries, the actress recently shared her perspective on the challenges and expectations surrounding mainstream commercial entertainers in 2026.
Speaking about changing audience behaviour, Pooja noted that viewers today are far more selective about what they choose to watch on the big screen. According to her, theatrical releases are now judged almost instantly based on their ability to create an emotional connection. “Theatrical cinema today has become very instinctive,” she said, adding, “Audiences decide very quickly whether something connects emotionally or not. You can’t fake entertainment anymore because people have too many viewing options.”
Pooja’s own career trajectory reflects the growing interconnectedness of Indian cinema. While she gained national recognition with her Hindi film debut Mohenjo Daro, it was her work in Telugu cinema that established her as a leading commercial star. Films such as DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham, Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava, Maharshi and Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo played a significant role in shaping her career, with the latter emerging as one of the biggest commercial successes of its time. The actress later expanded her reach through Tamil cinema with projects including Beast alongside Vijay, while continuing to feature in large-scale Hindi productions.
Reflecting on her experience of working across multiple industries, Pooja spoke about the different creative environments each film industry offers and the importance of adapting to them. “Every industry has a different vibe,” she shared and continued, “Telugu cinema taught me scale and audience energy. Tamil cinema taught me restraint in certain spaces. Hindi cinema has its own sensibility and expectations. As an actor, you have to adapt without losing yourself.”
The actress also addressed the growing conversation around pan-India cinema, suggesting that audiences ultimately respond to authenticity rather than labels. Pooja also mentioned, “People connect to sincerity. Whether it’s a mass entertainer, romance or action film, audiences want to feel something genuine.”
She further highlighted the demands of commercial filmmaking, noting that actors are expected to balance multiple aspects of performance simultaneously. “Commercial entertainers may look easy from the outside, but they’re incredibly demanding. You’re expected to carry glamour, emotion, comedy, dance and performance simultaneously.”
Despite evolving viewing habits and industry trends, Pooja remains optimistic about the future of theatrical cinema. “Theatres create collective emotion. When people laugh together, clap together or dance together inside a cinema hall, that experience cannot be replaced. That’s why commercial cinema still matters more than anything else”, she concluded.
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