Remember the spirited girl who played the young Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)? Twenty years after shining on screen as a child artiste in Karan Johar’s family drama, Malvika Raaj has made her Bollywood debut with Squad. The Nilesh Sahay-directed movie has her standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Rinzing Denzongpa as they play members of the Indian Special Forces. “A woman performing stunts is not as common in Bollywood,” says Raaj, ecstatic that the actioner showcases her in a different light. “It’s not a conventional debut film in that sense. Initially, it was difficult for me to pull off action. [Before the shoot], we were trained by experts from Poland. We did combat and weapon training for six months.”

While the ZEE5 film has not made much impact post its release, Raaj is looking forward to making her presence felt in Bollywood. Her stint in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, though short, made her realise that she wanted to pursue acting. “I was so small I didn’t realise that I was sharing screen space with superstars. Since then, I have wanted to become an actress. I got a lot of offers post K3G, but my parents wanted me to finish my education. Poo will always remain a special role.”