It’s the week of her first Bollywood release and Pooja Hegde is recovering from dengue. On a rainy afternoon, when  I drop in to meet her at Mehboob Studio in Bandra, Pooja has a blanket over her black jumpsuit and she is popping pills after lunch. “I am much better,” she says as we sit down in her vanity van. The model-turned-actress is making her big Bolly debut with Mohenjo Daro, the Ashutosh Gowariker historical, opposite Hrithik Roshan. “Hrithik keeps telling people that I am so calm, but under this calm exterior, I am like a duck paddling hard to stay afloat!” she says candidly.

Nervous?
I have mixed feelings about Mohenjo Daro releasing. I am nervous because it’s my first film. I am also apprehensive about the reactions I’ll get for my performance. Everyone has said good things about how I look in the film, but my acting abilities will only be judged after the film releases.

Let’s begin at the beginning. What got you interested in beauty pageants?
(Laughs) I used to be an introvert and I had terrible stage fright. When I got into college, I wanted to change that about myself. So I enrolled in every single extracurricular activity there was. I remember I had to dance at my college festival in front of thousands of people. I was supposed to dance to Aaja nachle. I forgot every single step. For four minutes, I did just one step! My brain completely shut down. I couldn’t even make up steps. I was petrified (laughs).

Anyhow, I didn’t give up and I continued participating in different events, including personality contests that every college festival has. Someone from Miss India saw me and suggested that I participate. I was a complete tomboy! I never wore make-up and I used to be dressed in T-shirt, jeans and keds.

When you participated in Miss India, was it understood that films were next?
Not at all. When someone would say I should do films, my first reaction would be ‘Who, me?!’ I didn’t think it was me. People like (fashion promoter) Prasad Bidapa would tell me that I have a face for films. He would tell my mum this all the time, but mum didn’t want to push me into doing anything I didn’t want to do.

You are following the footsteps of previous pageant winners who went on to become actors. Do you have any favourites among them?
I’ve met Sushmita Sen because I was a part of her I Am She contest. There is just something about her aura. I have seen her without make-up and probably not in the best shape, but she was stunning. When she walks into a room, she immediately has everyone’s attention. I want to learn that from her. Aishwarya (Rai Bachchan) put India on the global map with films she did abroad. Dia (Mirza) is really pretty. I just hope I could come close to what they have achieved.

How do you go from being a teen with severe stage fright and no interest in films to being launched opposite Hrithik Roshan in one of the big films of the year?
(Laughs) I have no idea!

How did Mohenjo Daro come your way?
I did a couple of ads… one of them was a Hero Maestro ad with Ranbir Kapoor and Sunita Gowariker (Ashutosh’s wife and Mohenjo Daro’s producer) saw it. She called me in for the audition and I got the film! When they told me I got the film, I didn’t react at all. I think it probably didn’t register. When I told my mum, she started jumping around with excitement! And that’s probably when I realised that I am going to be doing a massive film.

Did you get any acting lessons before you started?
No. I had done some south (Indian) films so those just eased me into this world. I never went to acting school and so I didn’t understand the technicalities of making a film. When they would say ‘Focus’ on set, I could think ‘But I am focused!’ (Laughs) Or, ‘Baby ko lagao’… I wondered why everyone’s waiting for a kid! These are normal terms they use on set and you have to understand what they mean so you don’t feel lost. More than acting, it took me some time to understand the lingo. I asked Ashu Sir if I should learn acting. He said that he wanted me to be natural.

You had to give up a Mani Ratnam film because of Mohenjo Daro…
Yeah… I was so disappointed! What happened is that I had already signed this film when I got that offer. I couldn’t do both.

Do you have a wish list of directors you want to work with?
Of course! I love Imitiaz Ali... he brings out the best in his actors. I think Farhan Akhtar as a director is mind-blowing. Dil Chahta Hai is one of my all-time favourites. I have seen Kuch Kuch Hota Hai a million times… I love Karan Johar!