Actress Vidya Malvade opens up about 19 years of Chak De! India, revealing that the iconic climax hockey match of Shah Rukh Khan’s classic was shot over 15 nights in Australia.
As the sports drama Chak De! India turned 19 on August 10, actress Vidya Malvade took a trip down memory lane to share some heartwarming and lesser-known facts about making the classic film. Vidya played Vidya Sharma, the dedicated captain of the Indian women’s hockey team, alongside Shah Rukh Khan.
Posting a special video on her social media, she expressed deep gratitude to fans for loving her character and the movie even after nearly two decades. She shared that in today’s time, when people quickly forget new films, fans still recognize her and warmly call her ‘Vidya Sharma India’, which she considers a true blessing.
Looking back at the shoot, Vidya revealed that none of the cast members knew how big the film would eventually become. For the actors, the experience felt less like a professional movie set and more like a real sports camp. They spent an entire year practicing hockey before and during the shoot, including six months of intense filming.
Even on non-shooting days, the girls were out on the field working hard on their set plays. Vidya mentioned that they were so focused on learning the sport that they rarely paid attention to where the cameras were placed.
She even shared a secret about iconic climax match. Vidya revealed the team spent six weeks in Australia and shot the thrilling final hockey match over 15 cold nights with international players. She said she felt extremely lucky to lead the team on screen and highlighted that the bond among the 16 actresses remains as strong as ever, kept alive through a private WhatsApp group.
However, the actress also shared a sad moment, revealing she lost all 12,000 photos taken during the year-long journey when her laptop crashed. Despite losing those physical pictures, Vidya said the priceless memories from the set of Chak De! India will stay with her forever.
Chak De! India revolves around a disgraced former hockey player who redeems himself by coaching the Indian women’s hockey team, leading them from underdogs to World Cup champions.
