Remember the pretty girl who played Pooh (young Kareena Kapoor) in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham? She made an action-packed debut last week with Squad, currently streaming on Zee5. Malvika Raaj plays the role of a sniper on a mission to rescue a girl child, in this Nilesh Sahay film that also stars Rinzing Denzongpa and Pooja Batra. Having appeared in a few music videos prior to this, Malvika tells us about her role and her appetite for acting. Excerpts:
Was it a conscious decision to make a debut in an action film?
Yes. I didn’t want to do the ordinary and opted for this action-packed project. It’s quite unheard of a debutante making an impact with a film like this where the lead is a sniper. I am thrilled to be part of it. When Nilesh told me that I am going to do action scenes with the hero, it got me excited. She is not like someone waiting for help to come her way. Rather, Aria is on a mission with another lead protagonist to save a life.
How challenging was the role?
The role was extremely challenging for me. We had a trainer from Poland who trained us for six weeks in combat and weapons. We were also trained on the sets in Belarus and I got a couple of punches on my eyes and my knees and elbows were bruised. We were using real heavy guns, so, roaming with them all day was a task. But I am glad I did this and these experiences and memories made the project special.
Are we going to see you more in action genre?
I totally enjoyed doing action scenes and would love to experience this thrill more. However, I have just started and there is an ocean in front of me to explore. So, let’s see what all I can do as an actor. I love dancing and I am trained in Indian classical forms and even hip hop and street dance. So, I would love to do a film where I can showcase my flair for dance too.
Did you take inspiration from anyone for the role of Aria?
I am a big Gal Gadot fan and took inspiration from her films. Tell us about your fitness regimen? I love my gym and right now, I am doing three days of strength training and three days of cardio.
Where are we seeing you next in?
I have two projects in hand, I will be able to talk about them next year. There’s also another music video.