Pooja Hegde cast opposite Akhil Akkineni

The search for a female lead opposite Akhil Akkineni in his upcoming film directed by Bommarillu fame Bhasker has come to an end, with the makers finally roping in Pooja Hegde for the part. The move comes after months of deliberation and trying to rope in other actresses for the role.

Apparently, actress Sai Pallavi almost confirmed her role in the film, only to drop out at the last minute. Anupama Parameshwaran and Rashmika Mandanna were also under consideration, but finally the makers zeroed in on Pooja Hegde. “The role is a performance-oriented one, and just as Genelia became very popular with Bommarillu, the lead actress’ character is well designed in this film,” says a source from the unit.

Meanwhile, some believe that Pooja Hegde looks older than Akhil — more like his sister — but the director is likely to ensure that the film’s storyline gets clearly established right at the start of the film.