The King Khan needs no introduction but here's a closer look at the 16 girls that he coaches into world champions in Chak De! India.
Name: Vidya Malavde (Vidya Sharma)
Hails from: Mumbai
How she bagged the role: Yash Raj films was looking for someone to play Vidya for almost a year. Then someone in their team, Abhimanyu, saw me on Zoom TV, and called me. They liked me and I bagged the role.
SRK moment: It was in the middle of the night. The lighting was just right. It was really nice, and I was quite excited. He came and shook my hand and made me relax. He hugged me. It was wonderful to just sit there and watch Shah Rukh act. One day, he took us to watch Don. I was sitting next to him. It was the most memorable day of my life.
Toughest moment: The toughest part was wearing that goalie gear. It was claustrophobic and hurt. I had to wear it for 15 hours. We shot in August, September and October, so it was really hot, and we were outdoors all the time.
What next: Kidnap, with Sanjay Dutt, and Junction, with Abhay Deol.
Name: Shilpa (Bindiya)
Age: 27
Hail from: Bihar. Presently, she lives in Delhi.
How she bagged the role: I auditioned for it. I waited for three long months for it to finalise. I heard that there were lots of girls up for the role, so it was incredible when I got the final call.
The hockey experience: All of us in the team come from different parts of the country. This experience has changed so many preconceived notions I had about people. 16 girls forming such a bond is quite rare.
SRK moment: The scene where I offer myself to him. After shooting that scene, I really realised the energy and aura that is Shah Rukh Khan. I was floating the whole day!
Toughest moment: We had to look like professional hockey player so we had to train hard! The penalty shootout at the end of the film was my favourite moment.
What's Next: Junction, opposite Abhay Deol.
Name: Anaitha (Aliya)
Age: 23
Hails from: Bangalore. Presently living in Mumbai.
SRK moment: I love the time when we win the world cup. The way SRK takes the news of our victory is to be seen to be believed. He was so restrained. It was too good. We were shooting in a stadium in Melbourne. Every day we would shoot in an empty stadium. The most memorable day of the shoot was when Shah Rukh came to the stadium. There was a huge crowd to see him. We don't know how the news spread! And every time the people saw him, there was a huge roar. We felt so proud to be a part of that.
Toughest moment: For three months, we played hockey -- in the heat, the cold and the rain. Acting was secondary. I am not a player, but I've become a sportsperson. I was a zero in sports before this film.
What's next: I am doing Nagesh Kukunoor's Ashayein.
Name: Chitrashi (Komal)
Age: 17
Hails from: Dehradun
How she bagged the role: I was spotted by (director) Shimit Amin at a hockey tournament at Jabalpur. They were impressed by my dribbling moves
The hockey experience: It was fabulous! I've been playing hockey for a long time now. It was wonderful to see the other actors work so hard. All of us had to look like real hockey players.
SRK moment: We played a mock hockey match before we started shooting. I was in Shah Rukh Khan's team. That was exciting. Meeting Shah Rukh for the first time was also very memorable. Also, I must say, I was the most pampered of the lot and loved it!
Toughest moment: There was a scene where I kept mixing up my dialogues -- from 'Sir ji' to 'Saab ji'. I took a lot of takes. I actually started crying as I feeling so bad about wasting Shah Rukh's time. But he was very patient.
What Next: I'm in college right now, so studies are my priority. And more hockey of course.
Name: Sandia (Nethra)
Age: 20
How she bagged the role: I've played hockey professionally for two years. Shimit Amin asked the national hockey coach to suggest some players for the roles, and I was one of the lucky ones to be chosen!
The hockey experience: We spent so much time together that we developed a strong bond. We were like sisters, and would call each other, 'Didi'.
SRK moment: Shah Rukh Sir helped so much. He has a great sense of humour and made me feel so comfortable. I can't pinpoint one single moment, all are special.
Toughest Moment: We had three months of rigorous training. We had to wake up at 5 am everyday. That was tough.
What Next: At the moment, I'm focusing on my studies and of course, pursuing hockey on the side.
Name: Arya (Gul)
Age: 20
Hails from: Bangalore.
How she bagged the role: One of the assistant directors called me. He had seen my photo in a magazine, as I'm a model. I auditioned and was selected.
SRK moment: Acting with Shah Rukh was a dream come true. I grew up watching his movies. He took us twice to watch movies -- once it was Don, and the second time, Dhoom: 2. He also took us to a night club once. It was fun! Shah Rukh always gave us tips and pointers on how to act. I think his favourite was Chitrashi (Komal) because she was the youngest among us. She was the baby of the team, so he would pamper her.
Toughest moment: The most difficult part was when I was not well and had to report to play hockey. Another problem was my Hindi diction. I had to learn the language. All the girls would talk to me only in Hindi to make sure I learnt.
What next: I have a couple of Tamil offers.
Name: Seema (Rani)
Hails from: Uttar Pradesh
How she bagged the role: I got a call from Yash Raj's casting director. I auditioned and rest is history.
The hockey experience: We spent three months together and all of us became close friends.
Toughest moment: Learning how to play hockey. I had to really push myself.
What Next: I will be directing a play in Bangalore.
Name: Chon Chon (Molly)
Age: 24
Hails from: Manipur
How she bagged the role: I got the role through my friends. I heard that they were looking for a girl with features like mine.
The hockey experience: The team was fantastic. The girls helped each other. It was really a good experience. I am proud to be part of such a team. We were from all parts of India. People should copy us to learn about unity.
Everything was memorable and a new experience for me. The training helped. The girls were together the whole day. We used to sing songs. We cried when the shooting got over.
Toughest moment: There was a scene when we had to fight with some boys. There are a lot of guys in this shot. We had to kick them, pick them up and throw them around. It was very difficult for me to maintain a fighting attitude.
What next: If I get a good film offer, I will go for it.
Name: Raynia (Raynia)
Age: 21
Hails from: Mumbai
How she bagged the role: I play hockey very well. I saw an article in the papers and called them. Then I went and met them. I was selected.
The hockey experience: It was fun and initially, a lot of hard work. We used to wake up at 4.30 am to play from 6 am to noon. We also had grilling practice sessions in the gym and swimming pool.
SRK moment: Working with SRK was memorable. One day, he took us to see Don. Later, we partied all night until 8 am. He gave us advice and tips. The little moments add up.
What next: I don't have any offers. I am going to play hockey. I played for my school, college and Mumbai. I was selected for the state but I did not go. I work with Spice jet as part of the ground support staff.
