Actor Pooja Hegde has been signed opposite Akhil Akkineni for upcoming Telugu romantic comedy, which is being directed by Bommarillu Bhaskar. The project, which has already gone on floors, marks Bhaskar’s return to direction after a hiatus of three years. His last directorial venture was Bangalore Naatkal; the Tamil remake of Malayalam hit Bangalore Days.

On Saturday, the makers released a poster welcoming Pooja on board. It’ll mark her first time collaboration with Akhil, who has starred in films like Hello and Mr. Majnu.

It was earlier reported that Rashmika Mandanna, recently seen in Dear Comrade, was the original choice for the project. Producer Bunny Vas had previously worked with Rashmika in the runaway Telugu hit Geetha Govindam.

As per a report by Cinema Express, “It’s a strong female character that’s more like a second skin to her portrayal in Geetha Govindam. Rashmika was pleased with the way Bhaskar has conceived the character with a great sense of fun and depth, and has agreed to be on board.”

Apparently, Rashmika is busy shooting for Mahesh Babu’s Sarileru Neekevvaru. Therefore, she had trouble adjusting her dates to accommodate this project as well. The makers went ahead and signed Pooja.

Pooja currently awaits the release of Varun Tej’s Valmiki, Telugu remake of Tamil film Jigarthanda. Directed by Harish Shankar, the film also stars Atharvaa in a crucial role.

Meanwhile, Akhil has pinned high hopes on this project. Desperate for a hit, the actor wants to prove himself badly after delivering back-to-back duds.