Actor Rakul Preet Singh is perhaps one of the busiest actors in the Telugu film industry right now. “I have been shooting for almost every single day; sometimes I barely get my full quota of sleep,” she says as she gets ready for the interview during her recent visit to Vizag. Does she get stressed about the long work hours? “If you like what you are doing, work becomes pleasure. I love my work and that keeps me going,” says the actor.
Her last film ‘Winner’ with Sai Dharam Tej may not have garnered great reviews, but with a series of projects lined up ahead Rakul is on a fast track mode and is kicked about her characters in the forthcoming films.
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A fresh character
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She is particularly excited about the role she plays in the film opposite Naga Chaitaiya that she is currently shooting for. “I play an adorable character in the film which is a love story. It is one character that people will remember for a long time to come,” says the charming Punjabi beauty. The film revolves around the story of two families and their age-old rivalry with a love story of these two young couple intertwined between.
Vizag beaches
Directed by Kalyan Krishna, the shoot will soon wrap up as the film races towards its release date. According to social media buzz, the title under consideration is ‘Raarandoyi Veduka Chooddam’. The first look of the film will be released on Ugadi. Incidentally, a significant part of the film’s shoot was done in the picturesque locales of Vizag. “I am a total beach person and that’s why I just love coming to Vizag. The city also reminds me of the peaceful defence colonies of my childhood,” says Rakul, who comes from an army background.
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With three of her films being blockbusters and having bagged a role opposite every young actor in the industry, Rakul has had a great 2016. But she remains grounded and has a practical approach towards her selection of roles, which she feels is important if one has to stay for the long run. “I would love to experiment with roles. But when people say that we are not doing anything different, it is because directors do not approach us with diverse roles. We are in an industry where, unfortunately, there is very limited scope for female oriented roles. If we don’t have options, how can we pick and choose roles?” she reasons.
Even though being in big league of actors, Rakul didn’t have a big role in the film ‘Sarrainodu’. “For me, it has never been about the length of the role. It was a short but impactful role and that is what matters,” she explains. However, she feels the Telugu film industry is today witnessing winds of change with many new film projects that are away from the formula story doing well. “Baahubali was the first change, followed by Kshanam and Ghazi - films that challenged the regular format of stories and emerged as winners. This is a very positive change in the industry,” says the actor. Rakul has signed a film opposite Bellamkonda Sreenivas directed by Boyapati Srinu, a Tamil film opposite Karthi and one opposite Mahesh Babu.
Entrepreneurial role
Speaking on her entrepreneurial journey with two branches of her gym, one in Hyderabad and other in Vizag, Rakul says that it was a natural progression as fitness is an intrinsic part of her being. “I don’t feel good if I miss even a day’s workout session. It makes me grumpy. Also, people don’t understand the meaning of the word ‘fitness’. For me, fitness is not just about hitting the gym, it is also about an inner happiness and an overall well-being. That is the philosophy I want to spread through my venture,” she sums up.