She got a special mention at the National Awards: Who is Ritika Singh?

A National Award in the Special Mention Category for her debut performance in Irudhi Suttru has put the spotlight firmly on Ritika Singh. The film about a fisherwoman's transformation into a boxer had her rubbing shoulders with veteran R Madhavan, who plays her boxing coach in the film. But that wasn't intimidating at all for this Mumbai girl whose spirited performance was appreciated by many. And the cherry on top came in the form of the recognition from the Awards Jury.

Facts to know about Ritika Singh (Pic By Scooptimes.com)

Curious about this feisty young thing? Here are a few quick facts we managed to put together.

•  Much like the strong character of Madhi she essayed in the film, Ritika is tough as nails. She is a mixed martial artist and a karate player and was training in boxing lessons when the film came along.

• Born and brought up in Mumbai, Ritika started learning Karate when she was 3.  Her father, a karate master himself, coached her then. After pursuing her studies, she was keen to start her career as professional kick boxing player.

• She participated in the mixed martial arts reality show Super Fight League in 2102. And this is where R Madhavan spotted her and recommended that she audition for the role of Madhi.

• Out of 100+ actors and athletes who auditioned for Mahdi’s character in the film Irudhi Suttru, producer Rajkumar Hirani chose Ritika based on her real life experiences and achievements. The need was to choose a real life boxer who could portray the character exactly on screen. She fitted the bill.