Pooja Hegde says her role in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan ‘integral’ to film: ‘To be given this opportunity in a Salman Khan film is unique’

“People will really like me in the film, I have a good feeling about it,” the actor tells indianexpress.com. The Farhad Samji directorial, scheduled to release during Eid on April 21, pairs her opposite Salman in what looks like a quintessential star vehicle. Pooja says Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ka Jaan is indeed a “Salman Khan film at the end of the day” but there is a slight twist.

“My character is really important in the film, as the trailer shows. In a Salman Khan film, to be given this opportunity, where the girl is so integral in the story was something that was so unique and so good for me. Also, the reach of a Salman Khan film is so much, it will be watched by the masses. As an actor, you want to have the masses love you, they are the ones who make an actor a star. That was a very good aspect of the film,” she adds.

Pooja Hegde isn’t new to massy films. In her career of ten years, she has starred in several hit, commercial films, including the Allu Arjun starrer Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. The actor says while she feels blessed to have made a space among the Tamil and Telugu speaking viewers, she is keen to expand her base in the Hindi belt. So far, her Bollywood outings include Mohenjo Daro, Housefull 4 and Cirkus.

“I have done massy films and have definitely reached the masses in Tamil Nadu and Telugu states. Of course my films are being dubbed and watched too. I remember being in Dehradun, and at a food stall, I saw my film’s Hindi dubbed version was playing! But Salman sir has a lot of fans, which you can’t deny, which I hope to reach out to. This film has a lot of action, comedy, it truly will be a family outing,” she says.

The actor, who has worked with stars of Tamil and Telugu film industries, says the secret ingredient of teaming up with Salman Khan lies in just being spontaneous. “You prepare, you come, then you throw your preparation out of the window and realise let’s be spontaneous. Don’t think, just do. If things are changing, you change with it and move. It has been a great learning experience that way. The more spontaneous you are the better it is,” she said when asked about how was it to work with Salman.

Also starring Shehnaaz Gill, Raghav Juyal and Siddharth Nigam, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan started trending the moment the makers dropped the film’s first song “Naiyo Lagda”. While a section appreciated the song’s simplistic melody by composer Himesh Reshammiya, others trolled it for its unusual dance moves, which was likened to doing lunges at the gym.

The meme-fest, Pooja says, only made her laugh out loud. “I am glad it went viral! I loved all the memes. As long as you are talking about it, loving the music… People have genuinely liked the song, the music, and the 90s feel of it. In the generation we live in today, you know a song is a hit when you make reels on it and there are so many reels on it! It is great to watch, and I think it is good for the film,” she adds.