It’s been 13 years since the release of Bollywood’s most phenomenally loved sports film, Chak De! India. The movie was all about girl power. The country celebrated hockey and women’s hockey team, earning the cast and crew many awards. The story hit the chords with millions of girls who dream of following their passions and it continues to remain a beautiful source of inspiration.
Source: Instagram
Now, I’m sure we’ve all kept a tab on what the coach Shah Rukh Khan has been up to, but this is what the bold and beautiful cast of our favourite hockey team is currently doing.
1. Sagarika Ghatge As Preeti Sabharwal
Remember the sassy Preeti Sabharwal from Chandigarh? After her debut in Chak De! India, her popularity shot up and she became a popular face in Hindi and Marathi cinema. Did you know that she is a national-level hockey player? Sagarika was also one of the finalists in Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 6. In 2017, she married former cricketer Zaheer Khan and is currently taking a break from acting.
Source: Instagram
2. Vidya Malavade As Vidya Sharma
Although our favourite captain began her career with Inteha in 2003, she left quite a mark with her role in Chak De! India. She starred in several Bollywood movies like Kidnap, No Problem, 1920: Evil Returns, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara! among others.
Source: Instagram
3. Chitrashi Rawat As Komal Chautala
This player from Haryana won our heart in Chak De! India. Apart from acting in dozens of shows and Bollywood films like Fashion, Luck, Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya, she also tried her hand at comedy and participated in Comedy Circus Season 2. She was last seen in the television show Shankar Jaikishan 3 In 1 (2019) as Simple Kapoor.
Source: Instagram
4. Shilpa Shukla As Bindia Naik
Portraying the role of the stubborn and arrogant Bindia, Shilpa’s intense acting skills earned her many praises. After Chak De! India, she went on to do many interesting films; her movie B.A. Pass won her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. She was last seen in Crazy Cukkad Family.
Source: Instagram
5. Tanya Abrol As Balbir Kaur
This hotheaded Punjabi kudi was undoubtedly the most entertaining of the lot. After her big break in Chak De! India, she went on to do several television shows and is mostly known for her roles in TV shows including CID and Yeh Hai Aashiqui.
Source: Instagram
6. Anaitha Nair As Aliya Bose
After playing the role of the feisty Aliya, Anaitha starred in multiple Malayalam and Hindi films. Her most remembered roles are in Well Done Abba, Jhootha Hi Sahi and Force. She is now a renowned hairstylist in Hong Kong and is living with her husband and a beautiful baby girl. Guess what her daughter’s name is? Aliya!
Source: Instagram
7. Shubhi Mehta As Gunjan Lakhani
Shubhi’s debut in Chak De! India was impressive, and she did a few films thereafter. Later, this Roadies contestant decided to give up acting. She is now using her talents to win over the corporate world and is happily married to a Bengaluru-based educator.
Source: Instagram
8. Sandia Furtado As Nethra Reddy
Nehtra’s most impressive dialogue in Chak De! India was a sarcastic comparison between Tamil and Telugu. Being a keen hockey player herself, she was a student of St Xavier’s College when the role was offered to her. She is now a PR Professional at EY (Ernst & Young) and happily married to her London-based boyfriend, Matteo Busa.
Source: Instagram
9. Arya Menon As Gul Iqbal
Arya, who essayed the character of a quiet Muslim girl in Chak De! India, went on to study Mass Communication with Film Studies as her specialisation. Having played hockey at a school level, she was only 19 years old when she bagged this role. She did some television commercials for a while but later decided to quit acting. She is now an advertising producer.
Source: Telegunstan
Did nostalgia hit you as hard as it did us? Watch the movie once again, won’t you!
Featured Image: Instagram
