Many before the release of "Chak De India" never knew that Shilpa Shukla aka Bindiya Naik played a major role in Sabiha Sumar's directorial debut "Khamosh Pani".

The film had bagged the best film award at Locarno Film festival besides other six awards.

27-year-old Shilpa had six years of experience with theatre before bagging the Centre half postion in Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Chak De India" and has one in hand starring Abhay Deol.

The film will shoot this September and might release in January, Shilpa, who plays the 'bad girl' in the movie, told after a press conference here today.

'' I play the seniormost role who knows the game tricks but is not allowed to play from the centre half and that's where starts the conflict with Kabir Khan, coach played by King Khan, '' Shilpa said.

Shilpa is excited about her playing a lead role opposite Abhay Deol in her coming movie "Junction".

'' For me acting was always a passion and Khamosh Pani was the gate to Chak De, which has now given me a big big platform, '' Shilpa said adding Director Shimit Amin cast her after seeing "Khamosh Pani".

Asked on her experince after working with veteran actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Kiron Kher, Shilpa said she was learning new things at every stage.

Shilpa, who got a hockey stick from her husband as a valentines day gift two days after she was selected, said, '' Chak De has imbibed within me the feeling of oneness and love for our National game.

''I had earlier no idea about hockey. The film has very beautifully presented the problems faced by the Indian Women's hockey team, '' she said adding they would be playing a charity match in New Delhi next month.

'' We had a tough training session by Indian Hockey coach Mir Ranjan Negi himself, besides, the four real players of our film, '' Shilpa added.

Nisha Nair (Soi Moi), Lalmingh Kimi (Mary), Chitrasi Rawat (Komal Chautala) are all national level hockey players.