RAKUL PREET SINGH

BEHIND AN EFFORTLESS ON-SCREEN PERSONA RESIDES A POWERHOUSE OF DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION — ONE WHOSE JOURNEY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT DREAMS CERTAINLY DO COME TRUE. HELLO! CELEBRATES A DECADE OF RAKUL IN THE SPOTLIGHT

They say there’s no shortcut on the road to success, and in the life of Rakul Preet Singh, that certainly rings true. Managing an impressive tally of 44 films in 10 years is no small feat, especially when it involves shooting in three different languages. But Rakul simply shrugs it off saying, “There’s never a problem if there’s a desire to do it...”

And it is this sentiment that perfectly encapsulates this sought-after actress, an army child who arrived in Mumbai directly from the cantonments to pursue her acting dreams.

HELLO! caught up with the svelte actress right after a spectacular performance at an event in Doha. In a candid conversation, she shares fond memories from her childhood, details on her fitness journey and the strengths of being in a relationship with an industry insider.

Rakul, congratulations on completing 10 years in the industry! What drew you into the world of cinema?

I was very a filmy child, enamoured by the big screen. As an army kid, I was influenced by Miss India and it was actually my mother who encouraged me to go for it! So when I was in high school, I decided to give it a try and at 18, I began modeling. I set a two-year time frame for myself, moved to Mumbai and started auditioning. Everyone has that desire to be seen and that’s how it was for me; I stood in queues, met people and luckily things worked out. I signed my debut film Yaariyan [directed by Divya Khosla Kumar and released in 2014] and just two days after signing, I began shooting for my first Telugu film.