Monica Bellucci’s praise for 'Coolie' song inspired by her name leaves Pooja Hegde thrilled

Highlights:

• Pooja Hegde learns Monica Bellucci “loved” her dance number Monica from Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie.
• The song, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has crossed 21 million views across languages.
• Hegde calls it one of the toughest shoots of her career, filmed under extreme heat.
• Coolie releases on 14 August in multiple languages, featuring Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, and Aamir Khan.

Pooja Hegde has received what she calls the “biggest compliment” of her career after Italian screen legend Monica Bellucci praised her performance in the Tamil film Coolie’s high-energy dance number Monica. The track, which has been trending since its release, makes a lyrical reference to Bellucci and has now caught the attention of the actress herself.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, host Anupama Chopra told Hegde that Monica had been played for Bellucci at the Cannes Film Festival through her friend Mélita Toscan, and that the star “loved it.” The news left Hegde beaming.

Pooja Hegde says Monica Bellucci loving Coolie song written about her is the biggest compliment she’s receivedGetty Images

How Monica Bellucci reacted to Coolie’s song Monica

Reacting to the revelation, Pooja Hegde said, “Oh, really? Wow. That’s the biggest compliment ever. I’ve always admired Monica Bellucci. She’s unique in her style, voice, and presence; she never had to overdo anything. I’m so glad she liked it.”

Hegde credited fans for helping the song reach Bellucci, noting that Tamil movie lovers had been actively tagging the actress on Instagram, urging her to watch the track. “A lot of people were commenting on her posts asking her to see the Coolie song,” she added.

Why the song Monica stands out in Coolie

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie features a special dance sequence with Pooja Hegde and Soubin Shahir set in a busy port location, complete with cargo ships and dozens of background dancers. Composed by Anirudh Ravichander, with lyrics by Vishnu Edavan and vocals by Sublahshini and Asal Kolaar, the song quickly shot up YouTube charts, surpassing 21 million combined views within 24 hours.

The Tamil version leads with over 15 million views, while the Telugu and Hindi versions have also drawn significant attention. Hegde’s glamorous screen presence and the song’s infectious rhythm have made it one of the most talked-about musical moments of the year in Tamil cinema.

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Pooja Hegde on filming one of her most challenging songs

While the end result looks effortless, Hegde revealed that shooting Monica was physically demanding. “It was one of the toughest songs of my career,” she wrote on Instagram. “We were battling extreme heat, humidity, dust, sunburn, and blisters, all while keeping the energy high and making it look glamorous. It was my first big dance shoot after a ligament tear, so I gave it everything.”

She also thanked the dance team for supporting her during the exhausting shoot, which coincided with Mahashivratri while she was fasting. “Special shout out to the dancers who stood by me and gave me energy through it all,” she said.

Coolie : cast, release date, and what to expect

Produced by Sun Pictures, Coolie is set to hit theatres on 14 August in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada. The film stars Rajinikanth in the lead, with Akkineni Nagarjuna, Upendra, Sathyaraj, Soubin Shahir, and Shruti Haasan in key roles. A major highlight is Aamir Khan’s first-ever role in a Tamil film, playing a character named Dahaa.

Although fans speculated that Coolie might be part of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s interconnected cinematic universe, the director has confirmed it is a standalone story. Cinematography is by Girish Gangadharan, with editing by Philomin Raj.

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With Bellucci’s seal of approval, star power, and a release timed for the Independence Day weekend, Coolie is shaping up to be one of 2025’s biggest box office events.