Danny Denzongpa

Veteran actor Anita Raaj’s niece, Malvika Raaj, has been signed as the female lead opposite Danny Denzongpa’s son, Rinzing, in the action-thriller Squad which goes on the floors in April. Malvika was chosen for the role from among 30 hopefuls. This, however, is not her first stint in front of the camera. “I played the younger Kareena Kapoor in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” informs Malvika, adding, “The film will always be special as that’s when I realised I wanted to act.”Talking about her character in the film which chronicles a battle royal between the Special Forces, Malvika informs that she is a sniper who goes by the name of Aria. “She’s very knowledgeable about weapons which is important to the storyline. There’s a lot of action and a little bit of romance with Rinzing,” she smiles.Quiz her on her homework and the actress reveals that she has already started training with the action team, and will soon start training in special weapons.Mirror had earlier reported (January 5) that producer Nilesh Sahay has got Jyoti Kapur Das on board as the director. She is among the very few women directors to step into a genre which has traditionally been a male bastion. Malvika is eager to start shooting with Jyoti. “I am glad that we are breaking from stereotypical thinking that a woman can’t direct an action film. These days there is no gender differentiation and I am pretty sure my director will nail it,” she says.Malvika goes on to reveal that the comfort level is high since she has known Rinzing for a while now. “We were in the same school and grew up in the same social circle. When we were young, we even attended each other’s birthday parties so now sharing the screen with him is going to be a lot of fun,” she smiles.Finally, how did her aunt, Anita Raaj, react to the news of Malvika following in her footsteps into a lead role? “She knows Rinzing better than I do as he shares a great bond with her son. My aunt has always been very supportive and it will be interesting for her to see both Rinzing and me in the same film,” she says.Squad will take off on the sets in Mumbai in April, followed by a prolonged schedule in Budapest. The action will be designed by Kier Beck of Mad Max: Fury Road fame.