
Coolie: Pooja Hegde gets ‘biggest compliment' from Monica Bellucci for her dance number
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Pooja Hegde discovered that Monica Bellucci had not only seen her song but also liked it. The interviewer revealed to Pooja that she sent the vibrant Coolie track to the cinema icon Monica Bellucci herself, who responded by 'loving' it.
Pooja Hegde responds to Monica Bellucci loving Coolie song
Amazed by her reaction, Pooja Hegde said, 'Oh, really? Wow. That's the biggest compliment ever.' Further, she went on to add that she always admired the legendary actress. 'I've actually always loved Monica Bellucci. She was so iconic in her own way for her persona. She didn't really need to do much. At the same time, she had a very unique style and a unique voice in terms of how she carried herself. So it was a big feat. But I'm glad. I'm glad she liked it,' added Pooja Hegde.
Last seen in Suriya's Retro, Hegde also acknowledged the efforts of fans who were constantly asking the Italian actress to have a look at the Tamil song. Pooja said, 'I believe a lot of people were commenting on her Instagram, and a lot of Tamil fans were saying, 'Please go watch Coolie's song.''
Pooja Hegde sheds light on commercial placement of the 'Monica' song in Coolie
The actress highlighted that Lokesh Kanagaraj has informed her about the song's use for commercial purposes, indicating she can add value.
'For a director like him to say that, and put their money where their mouth is by hiring me for that job — and for it to help the film — that's very exciting for me. It tells me I can contribute to tickets, I bring value. And these are the people whose opinion I should worry about — not so much anyone else's,' expressed Pooja Hegde.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
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