We laugh about the linkups: Rakul Preet Singh

With multiple projects lined up, actress Rakul Preet Singh is one of the busiest actresses in Tollywood right now. The first in the series to hit the theatres this year is Winner opposite Sai Dharam Tej.

“My character owns a lot of horses and for her, the protagonist trains and becomes a Jockey and even wins!” shares Rakul who learnt horse-riding as a kid. “In the sixth standard, I fell off a horse and it ran over me. My hand got dislodged and for five months, I didn’t go back on the turf but then my father encouraged me to do it again. I’ve been riding horses since then,” says Rakul.

On some days, Rakul shoots for two films simultaneously and barely gets four to five hours of sleep but she doesn’t feel stressed. “I love to work. People do other things to de-stress, but for me, more work is the best way to de-stress,” she says.

Last year, three of her films were blockbusters but she doesn’t take success to her head. “I don’t sit and think why it happened. I always look forward to give my best,” says Rakul. In the movie Sarrainodu, her role was not too big. “It’s not about the length, it’s the impact of the role,” she justifies.

There have been times when she has done films for her favourite director or star. Like the Murugadoss-Mahesh Babu film she has just signed. “Murugadoss sir is one of my favourite directors, so when he approached me, I said yes without even listening to the subject. Actually he wanted to sign me on for Tupaki opposite Vijay but didn’t when he learnt I was too young (18 years old at the time) for the role,” reveals Rakul.

Sai Dharam Tej and Rakul have been friends from before. Their gang includes Regina, Rashi, and Sundeep too. “It is fun working with Tej in this film. We are like two boys on the set,” she says. When asked about his rumoured link-up with Regina, she says, “It’s gossip. They linked me and Rashi too with him. We laugh about it,” says Rakul.

Rakul prepares for the shot only on the sets when the director explains the shot. “I can memorise lines quickly. Knowing Telugu now has helped improve my performance,” she adds.

Apart from Winner, Rakul has signed a film opposite Bellamkonda Sreenivas directed by Boyapati Srinu, a film with Naga Chaitanya, a Tamil film opposite Karthi and the project opposite Mahesh Babu.