India stunned Australia by registering a 1-0 win over the world No. 2 to reach the semi-finals in women’s hockey at the Tokyo Olympics. This is the first time in Olympic history that an Indian women’s hockey team has made it to the last four. Soon after, the entire country started reliving the Chak De! India’ moment, a film that starred Shah Rukh Khan as coach of Indian Women Hockey team and Vidya Malvade as captain.

Opoyi reached out to Vidya for her quick reaction on the big news and she overjoyed. “I am ecstatic and it’s historic,” she said.

“It can’t be compared because this is real and that was a reel but I’m really excited. I have played the game closely thanks to ‘Chak De! India’ and I do understand and I know what it means to be an underdog all our lives and then come across shining like this and actually make the country proud,” she added.

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Vidya says the win was humbling. “The feeling was like that and the crowd resonated but today I think this is the real pride, these are the real women. This is so humbling and it feels like ‘Chak De India’ 2.0 not reel but real because these girls are real heroes of the nation,” she said.

Speaking about how relatable the emotions were as players danced with joy after the big win, she said, “I cannot even begin to tell you what I felt because being the captain holding the cup for the first time, we actually felt like I have done something whereas I was playing a part so I can not even imagine what these girls must be going through – the pressure they are under every day. The whole country is rooting for you and I think they did phenomenally well. PV Sindhu did it last evening and now this team. It is a beautiful beginning for sports in our country.”

“It is quite amazing and I really wish Rani and the team all the very best for the next match as well. Go play and kill it and we are by your side throughout.  We are just proud,” she sums up.