She’s unapologetically a sunshine girl, a firm believer in the energy she radiates, and self-admittedly owes much of who she is to her army upbringing. Her eighteen-year-old self, who dreamt about being an actor, would be proud of where she is today. Rakul Preet Singh has often taken the road less travelled and arrived at a good place — we think.
She agrees. “I always knew I was going to have my own journey and my own roadblocks,” she shares. “The biggest myth that people outside the film industry have is that it’s a big bad world, and people want to take advantage of you.
People are trying to make creative cinema, choosing individuals for the value they add to the film. Things may not come to you instantly, and it may be tougher, but it will happen if you’re working hard.” She winces at the word ‘struggle’ when we ask her what the journey has been like for her. “I don’t like to call anything a struggle—it’s just a journey I am blessed to be on.”
Singh made her acting debut in 2009 with a Kannada film, Gilli. After completing her degree in Mathematics she returned to the film industry, working first in a Telugu film Keratam, and then in a Tamil film titled Thadaiyara Thaakka. She has shuffled languages and industries with her Bollywood debut in 2014 with Yaariyan.
When we ask if her approach changes while working in three different industries, she says, “I’ve never really understood this concept of different industries. I love the idea today that there are so many collaborations between these film industries, with actors from different regions working in the films. I think it’s beautiful because India is so rich in its culture, and to have so many talented people from across the country coming together to create something is beautiful. I want to be known as an Indian actor for life. The approach doesn’t change,” she says.
Born into an army family, Singh credits her perseverance, ambition, and drive to her upbringing. “I think the army upbringing has played an important role in who I am today, specifically because we were brought up in a very disciplined way. It is a part of my core,” she says and adds, “Whether this means respecting people’s time, keeping your word, being direct and honest — all these qualities have helped me in the career that I have chosen to be in. The biggest teaching for me has been that you have to be honest with yourself in whatever you do. You need to put in your hundred per cent every single day, whether you’re working or not working, to attract the kind of life you see for yourself.”
Singh’s Instagram is populated with workout videos that make us feel both a tad guilty for not hitting the gym this week and also inspire us to, perhaps, pay a visit the next week. “Fitness for me is a lifestyle. It is not temporary. It’s something embedded in my very core–whether its eating healthy and clean, practising meditation, or doing my workouts. That balance makes me who I am and keeps me sane. And I never have a different approach for different occasions. I don’t have sugar in general, and I don’t have unhealthy food. Anyone looking to be healthy during the festive season should adopt wellness, not just fitness, as a way of life. Once you understand the meaning of that, you will always have a balanced lifestyle,” she reveals.
Each year brings with it it’s own learnings and for Singh the focus has been on being more attentive to her state of mind. “I’m a big believer in energy. Whenever you really want something in life, you have to believe that it’s happening and be ready to receive it.” As she comes into her own with every project she takes on, she draws her power from an inner energy that has deepened her understanding of what she really wants to do and how she wants to do it. “It has made me understand what life truly is and how it is so important to keep your mental peace and sanity, have a clear conscience, and use all these values to lead your life.”
She draws happiness and joy from an unrelenting love for life itself. “Life is to be celebrated. When you are a happy and warm person, you radiate that. My happiness and joy come from my state of being. I believe I am blessed, and everything that happens in life happens for the best,” she says.
Singh is a dream-chaser—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “My journey so far has been magical. I’m living the dream. Having a fan base that gives me so much love is probably the most gratifying thing ever. And the show has, honestly, just begun. I feel like there’s so much more work that I need to do. I’m looking forward to working on meaningful cinema that thirty years from now will be remembered,” she ends our conversation with childlike enthusiasm.
ELLE India Editor: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi; Photographer: Aviraj Singh
Stylist: Stacey Cardoz; Asst. Art Director: Alekha Chugani; Bookings Editor: Rishith Shetty
Makeup: Salim Sayed; Hair: Aliya Shaik; Assisted By: Sarthak Joshi (Bookings); Artist Reputation Management: Spice PR
