I’ll always be the 'Chak De' girl: Showstopper Vidya Malvade

Gleaming in a gold and black embellished sari, actress Vidya Malvade sizzled on the ramp on Day 3 of the Blender’s Pride Bangalore Fashion Week. “The drive from the airport to the venue is longer than my travel from Mumbai,” she giggles. Vidya, who debuted in Vikram Bhatt’s Inteha in 2003, got her big break in Bollywood in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Chak De India. The 2007-release saw her playing the role of goalkeeper-cum-captain of the women’s hockey team.

Though she’s done a string movies since then, she has no qualms about the fact that people still identify her as the Chak De girl. “I really don’t mind being called that! It played a big role in my career and made me what I am today. I will always be the Chak De girl,” she asserts.

The actress, who is working on a couple of projects, is visibly excited about doing her first Marathi film. “It took several years for me to sign up for a one. Though I can’t divulge many details, the role I am playing is quite exciting,” says Vidya, who also has a few Bollywood projects on hand too.

Talking about the highs and lows of her career, she says, “The market sort of fell down post the release of Chak De India. Several reasons added to the low phase in my career. However, I am quite geared up and looking forward to be a part of some great films in the future. In fact, I believe that I am just starting off my career.”