From Glamour To Giggles: Pooja Hegde Shines In Comedy In Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai
For most of her career, Pooja Hegde has been associated with glamour-heavy roles in big commercial entertainers. Whether in Hindi, Telugu or Tamil cinema, she has often been the poised romantic lead, the star of chartbuster songs or the actress bringing elegance to a larger-than-life spectacle. What audiences don’t often get to see, however, is her comic side.
That may be changing with Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. David Dhawan’s latest comedy is built around confusion, misunderstandings and exaggerated situations, the kind of film where timing matters as much as dialogue. In a genre dominated by loud characters and fast-paced gags, it can be easy for actors to get lost in the chaos. Yet Pooja manages to find her space, delivering a performance that is far lighter and more playful than many of her recent outings.
Much of the conversation around the film has understandably centred on Varun Dhawan, who shoulders a large part of the comedy. But several viewers have also pointed to Pooja’s ease within the film’s comic setup. Rather than simply reacting to the madness unfolding around her, she becomes an active participant in it, matching the film’s tone without appearing forced.
Comedy is often one of the most underrated skills for an actor. Unlike emotional scenes or dramatic monologues, successful comic performances rarely get lauded as much. The best ones feel effortless. That quality works in Pooja’s favour here. She appears comfortable in the film’s exaggerated world and never seems self-conscious about embracing its sillier moments.
For audiences familiar with her work, the performance offers a reminder that there is more to her screen persona than glamour and dance numbers. Over the years, filmmakers have cast her in roles designed to add star value to commercial entertainers. While she has done that successfully, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai allows her to lean into humour in a way that mainstream audiences have not seen often enough. And that too in a David Dhawan movie.
From the early reactions is that Pooja’s comic instincts deserve more attention than they usually receive. There is a natural ease to her performance that helps her blend into the ensemble rather than stand apart from it.
Interestingly, comedy is not entirely new territory for the actress. Films like Housefull 4 gave her glimpses of the genre, but Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai feels like a stronger showcase of what she can bring to a full-fledged commercial comedy. The performance suggests that filmmakers may have only scratched the surface of her potential in this space.
At a time when many leading actresses are trying to break away from familiar images, Pooja’s turn in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai serves as a small reminder that she is capable of getting laughs too. And if the response to the film is anything to go by, audiences would not mind seeing more of that side of her in the future.