There were reports that Pooja Hegde of Mugamoodi fame was approached by Mani Ratnam for his next film which is likely to star Dulquer Salmaan in the lead role and that she rejected the offer. Pooja clarifies to a daily that she never rejected Mani’s offer and her dates were clashing with her Hindi film Mohenja Daro directed by Ashutosh Gowariker where she is paired with Hrithik Roshan. “Mani sir’s associates got in touch with my manager and I flew down to Chennai to meet him. We had a small chat and he even elaborated on the role, which I was offered.I was blown away by the way he spoke about cinema, and I know he is Mani Ratnam for a reason. How can people say I rejected his offer?,” says Pooja to a daily.
Pooja Hegde says she was required to sport a particular look for Ashutosh’s Mohenja Daro, which will be shot for six months. Since Mani Ratnam’s film clashed with Mohenja Daro and she had already committed to Ashutosh, she could not take up the project. Now, who will Mani approach next to star opposite Dulquer?