Twenty years after appearing as a child artiste in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Malavika Raj is finally making her full appearance Bollywood Starting with the squad. The actress, who was seen playing the younger version of Poo (Kareena Kapoor) in Karan Johar’s K3G, has grown up now and is all set to slay some punches in the ZEE5 action that is out today.
Appearing alongside Rinzing Denzongpa, son of veteran actor Danny Denzongpa, Malavika plays a sniper in the film. She says that her choice of film has surprised many who expected her to stick to the K3G genre for her Bollywood debut.
“After seeing my poster in Squad, everyone was stunned. Many people in the industry have messaged me saying, ‘You look very different’. The last time they saw me was a young, bubbly kid, and people expected me to do something in that area. But it hasn’t happened. I’ve done the opposite, and people are surprised in a good way. I think I have achieved what I wanted,” she tells News18.
Unlike other child actors, Malavika never acted after Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. “After K3G, my father did not want me to enter the film industry. I was very young and it could have left a negative impression at that particular age. He wanted me to complete my studies. I finished my graduation and started modeling,” she says.
“I thoroughly enjoyed myself in the fashion industry. I’ll go everywhere, I’ve walked the runway for all potential designers from Sabyasachi to Manish Malhotra. But my training for acting never stopped. I did my acting course, dance rehearsals. I was always training for what I wanted, because acting has always been my passion. And now that I am really living my dream, I am very excited and want to give my 200%,” Malavika adds.
He is still in touch with filmmaker Karan Johar and some assistant directors of K3G, who have now turned directors. “Karan sir and I are very much in touch. We sometimes message each other on birthdays or new year. Gibran, who plays Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan’s son in the film, is no doubt a star, he is a good friend. I am also friendly with the assistant directors on the sets who are directors today, like Punit Malhotra and Taran Mansukhani. They all saw my posters and said, ‘We have been seeing you ever since and seeing you like this, it feels great and we feel very proud’, says Malavika.
How she got into the role in K3G, one of Dharma’s biggest productions, is also an interesting anecdote. “Sohum Shah, who is a director today, was Karan sir’s assistant then. He came to my school looking for the character of Pooja. They asked for my name and number and I auditioned for it and got it. The funny thing here is that I was a very notorious kid in school. I was quite a brat. So when he asked for my number, I asked him why. He said, the principal wants this.
“I was so scared, my mother had already told me that if she had to go to school for the second time, just then, I would be kicked out of the house. That would all be drama. But when the call came for a really positive response, they were happy,” shared Malavika.
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