Wednesday,
August
22,
2007
It's
every
newcomer's
dream
to
share
screen
space
with
King
Khan.
So
Sagarika
Ghatge,
who
plays
Preeti
Sabarwal
in
Chak
De
India",
is
extremely
happy
with
her
first
tryst
with
Bollywood.
"It
was
a
dream
come
true,
making
a
debut
with
Shahrukh
Khan.
It
is
every
amateur
actor's
dream,
and
it
is
now
a
reality
for
me.
You
can't
ask
for
anything
better",
gushed
Sagarika.
Though
she
always
aspired
to
be
an
actress,
she
bagged
the
role
in
Chak
De
by
pure
luck.
"I
went
for
the
auditions.
In
the
evening,
I
got
a
call
asking
me
to
send
them
my
photographs," recalled
Sagarika.
Without
a
proper
portfolio
at
hand,
the
snaps
that
she
had
sent
earlier
were
very
ordinary
ones.
But
finally,
she
got
selected.
Many
had
warned
her
before
that
SRK
wouldn't
be
easy
to
work
with
as
he
was
quite
strict.
But
shooting
with
the
superstar
on
the
sets
of
the
film
dismissed
the
apprehensions
completely.
Sagarika
is
completely
floored
by
the
superstar.
"He
is
so
focused
and
humble,
I
think
he
is
the
best.
We
learned
so
much
from
him.
He
gets
so
much
into
the
character.
I
don't
think
anyone
else
could
have
done
more
justice
to
the
character
of
the
coach
than
Shahrukh."
Besides
putting
in
his
best,
Shahrukh
also
helped
the
girls
hone
their
acting
skills.
"He
taught
us
the
angles
in
which
our
appearance
would
look
good.
There
have
been
instances
when
he
just
stood
behind
us
so
that
we
could
get
focused."
Debuting
under
a
big
and
reputed
banner
was
also
nothing
short
of
an
achievement
for
Sagarika.
The
well-planned
and
organized
shooting
schedules
left
her
overawed.
Sagarika
is
all
praise
for
the
film's
director
Shimit
Amin
also
as
he
"took
care
of
the
minutest
of
details" all
the
time.
The
girls
had
to
train
in
hockey
for
four
months
before
the
film
went
on
the
floor
and
their
daily
schedules
were
as
hectic
as
a
real
player's.
The
practice
sessions
at
Churchgate
used
to
be
followed
by
swimming,
gym
workouts,
massages
and
spas.
"My
field
position
in
the
film
is
center-forward
and
I
was
acquainted
with
all
the
skills
that
a
player
playing
in
that
position
should
have," explains
Sagarika.
At
times,
Dhanraj
Pillai
would
drop
by
to
give
some
tips.
"Although
it
(the
training)
was
tough
but
now
I
feel
it
was
worth
it.
Coach
Mir
Ranjan
Negi,
who
is
also
a
former
Indian
hockey
goalkeeper,
trained
us.
He
was
too
good.
The
relationship
we
shared
with
him
was
that
of
a
father
and
daughters,"
the
actress
smiled.
Besides
working
with
Shahrukh,
mingling
with
girls
from
other
states
across
the
country
was
also
"great
fun"
as
there
was
much
cultural
exchange
amongst
them.
"I
am
so
thankful
to
god
for
this
surprise
gift,"
Sagarika
signed
off.
If
she
puts
in
the
same
amount
of
hard
work
in
her
future
ventures
too,
more
such
luck
is
sure
to
come
her
way.