Rakul Preet Singh arrives on the dot for the interview, the adherence to time in the unpredictable industry can perhaps be attributed to her army background. She settles down to talk for the first interview ahead of Sarrainodu , releasing this Friday. She’ll talk about the discipline and adaptability that comes from the army background, but first the film.
Sarrainodu , releasing after Nannaku Prematho that got her plenty of appreciation, will see her playing a village girl without makeup. “If I played that character with makeup, it would look stupid,” she says. “If I wasn’t an actress, I’d never wear make up. I liked being ready in half an hour and arrive on the sets. Even for a no-makeup look, if one has a dark under-eye on a particular day, a little makeup is used. I had no scope for that as well.”
She’s been a part of mainstream films all along but says Sarrainodu is an unapologetic commercial action film. “Boyapati sir is a good narrator. When I was listening to him, I thought ‘My god! If all this translates on screen, it will be fun.’ My character has an emotional thread and many moments that the audience will connect with. How often do you get a performance-oriented role within the commercial format? That gave me a kick.”
Does she relate to the director’s previous films? “I’ve seen Legend ,” says Rakul. “I like a different kind of cinema, but when done with conviction, anything looks good. We know that a situation like Star Wars doesn’t exist, but we believe in it because it’s told with conviction. Boyapati is one of the few directors who can pull off a masala film like Sarrainodu .”
The village girl look from the film isn’t out yet and she feels it’s a surprise factor. The film was shot in Hyderabad, Rajahmundry and Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia. She doesn’t complain about the extreme weather conditions. “We shot ‘Telusa Telusa’ song in Bolivia. It took us 50 hours to get to the location. We shot in high altitudes and oxygen cylinders were kept handy,” she explains. The adaptability to these conditions, she says, comes from the experience of living in different parts of the country. “Having grown up in an army background, I adapt quickly. In fact, I was working out at that altitude. Unit members called me ‘pichi’. What bothers me is wearing short clothes in snowy, windy conditions. It’s tough to even lip-sync the lyrics. But when I look at the visuals, it’s worth it,” she says.
She’s been pitched against good dancers like Ram Charan and Allu Arun, and Rakul says it has pushed her to do better. “I had two left feet. I’ve been improving with each film. I tell choreographers to give me tough steps. I’ll rehearse for two more days if necessary.”
Rakul dubbed her voice for Nannaku Prematho and pulled off the NRI accent well. For Sarrainodu though, she didn’t walk that path. “This character needed a touch of Rajahmundry dialect, so I didn’t do it,” she reasons.
Of late, the number 1 tag has been attributed to her but she shrugs it off. “When I came in, I was shown films of Samantha and Kajal. Samantha has done some incredible films. Just because I’ve done a couple of big films, how can I be number one? The fact that I’m an actress hasn’t yet sunk in. I think I’m doing a regular job, 9 to 6 shift,” she laughs.
Her parents watch her films on the first day and her brother, a film buff who watched Telugu films dubbed in Hindi and shares a good rapport with her co-stars, has moved to Hyderabad to manage her gym, F45. Still, she says she isn’t treated as a star back home. “For them, I am a regular kid. That’s what I like,” she says.
Her gym at Gachibowli is an extension of her passion for fitness. “I keep telling people to understand their body and not to go on fad diets. Since I workout every day, I spend some more time overseeing things. I have an efficient team of trainers and my brother takes care of managerial responsibilities,” she says.
Rakul doesn’t rule out further entrepreneurial ventures. “If I take up anything, it will have to do with films, fitness or food,” she signs off.
What’s next?
Ramesh Sippy’s Shimla Mirch co-starring Rajkummar Rao, Thani Oruvan remake with Ram Charan, Gopichand Mallineni’s film with Sai Dharam Tej, Boyapati’s next, and Thupparivalan , a Tamil film to be directed by Mysskin starring Vishal. She’s upbeat about working with Mysskin, known for his unconventional work. “It’s quite early to talk about it, but it’s something I am waiting for.”
