Brides cover star Rakul Preet Singh talks marriage, movies, and loving the camera

There’s something about Rakul Preet Singh that draws the eye. Pretty, poised and polite, she exudes confidence both on and off screen and is a natural before the camera. The atmosphere shifts as she breezes in for the shoot for Brides Today, the chic interiors of restaurant Lyla Bombay perfectly complementing the Amit GT Couture collection ready for her.

“I just love fashion shoots. They let me experiment so much with my looks, which is restricted when you’re shooting for a film… The two are different, of course, but I just love being in front of a camera, whether it’s moving or still,” she shares, enjoying herself on location. 

Just a few months into newlywed bliss, Rakul Preet is the picture of happiness. After years of dating, she tied the knot with film producer Jackky Bhagnani this February, though she maintains that life remains much the same for them. “It was a pretty seamless transition because the foundation of our relationship was friendship,” she shares. “Jackky and I are great friends before anything else, great bouncing boards for each other’s problems and supporters of one another’s dreams.”

As jovial and easy-going as she may seem, this actor is a woman of substance and the face of change, if her movies are anything to go by. “After Chhatriwali released, I received so many touching messages from small-town women, thanking me for giving them a voice…” she says. And the upcoming moyear appears just as exciting for her, with a slew of releases in the pipeline…

Brides Today: It’s a little later in the year, but congratulations on your wedding! Tell us how you’ve been since you tied the knot with Jackky Bhagnani in February this year. How has life changed for you since then?

Rakul Preet Singh: Thank you so much! Well, I don’t think life has changed at all. It’s been such a seamless transition for both of us primarily because the foundation of our relationship is friendship. Jackky and I are great friends before anything else, great bouncing boards for each other’s problems and supporters of one another’s dreams. It’s been amazing so far, and there’s literally been no change.

BT: Please tell us a little about your equation… Things Jackky may lack that you make up for, and vice versa, how you make time for each other amid your schedules, how you settle differences, the ways in which you’re similar and different…

RPS: As I said, we’re friends before anything else. In fact, we were friends before we started dating, and that equation remains intact. For any relationship, it’s important to have fun and keep a sense of humour alive, even if it’s 20 years later. I truly hope that that humour and joy and banter remains in our relationship… Both of us try to be the best versions of ourselves for each other. Any relationship would require that, right? You have to acknowledge the presence of another person in your life and divide responsibilities… And you have to communicate. Settling differences is all about communication. We’ve maintained that since we started getting to know each other. There’s nothing that cannot be sorted by communicating properly. And always remember that the problem is the problem; the other person isn’t the problem. We’re a team, and we solve that problem together.

BT: Your social media presence is a mix of professional shots and snippets of your life behind the scenes. It’s refreshing when we mostly see tailored posts from celebrities. What are your thoughts on those who leave their accounts to be handled entirely by their teams? Where’s the authenticity in that?

RPS: It’s a personal choice if someone wants to handle their account on their own or hand it over to someone else. Some people are not social media friendly. Neither am I actually. The reason you may find it authentic is because I mostly share random photographs with no edits or filters. Actors tend to have millions of followers, and I believe it’s important that they know we’re all human, and we all have good days and bad. Social media should be an inspiring space for people who follow you. But having said that, everyone has the right to decide what and how they want to present themselves.

BT: How would your closest circle of friends and family describe you? Outgoing? Introverted? Kind? And how would you describe the support system you have around you?

RPS: I’m definitely not an introvert. I’m outgoing. They call me an “enthu cutlet”. I’m that person in the group who’ll make plans and get them executed for holidays and occasions like that… My friends and family are my solid support system. You’re born with a family that nurtures you, and then you become the friends you choose. Both are vital for a sane mind, to keep toxicity away and just to have your head on your shoulders. My family and friends provide me that kind of support.

BT: You’ve been in this industry for 15 years now, and every journey is marked with its highs and lows. What milestones stand out in all these years? And what are the biggest lessons you learnt during your time in the industry?

RPS: In fact, life is marked with highs and lows; it doesn’t have to do with one’s profession. I don’t think I’ve ever been the kind of person to remember milestones. If I really had to answer, I’d say when I signed my first Telugu film. Every success since has been a milestone; each gave me that push. Then, of course, when films don’t work, they pose a little setback. That’s the whole beauty of highs and lows. 

It’s challenging to express my biggest lesson in one sentence. One is constantly growing as an individual. Ten years ago, I was a different person; I dealt with life and situations differently than I do today. One grows, evolves and matures. We keep adulting! And that’s the journey of life. But I’d say this: you just have to put your blinders on and keep doing your work; focus only on what you’re building without letting the negativity affect you.

BT: What made you decide to take on Chhatriwali? Given how taboo the subject of sex still continues to be in India and most mainstream actors steer clear of such roles…

RPS: I loved the script because it was about a taboo subject, and it was also well-written for a family audience. The movie stated facts in the most natural, non-objectionable way and addressed a subject from a middle-class family perspective. I loved this aspect of the script. I believe when something important needs to be spoken about and is done in good taste, film is a beautiful medium to lend it a voice. 

After Chhatriwali released, I received so many touching messages from small-town women, thanking me for making this film. They said they didn’t have a voice to convey the message the movie held to their partners or husbands. I believe it was a good deed done if the movie was able to influence even one life positively.

BT: It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of fame, money and glamour that this industry offers. How do you remind yourself of the person you inherently were before your career took over? 

RPS: Well, yes, it is easy to get caught up. That’s where your grounding factors come in. To me, that’s my family. My parents were never the kind of people who could get influenced by fame. Things would have been different then. But to them, I’m still their daughter, and they still correct me when I’m wrong. And my father is from the army and extremely disciplined. So there’s a lot of decorum at home.
 
How I grew up plays a role in how I keep myself grounded. That’s how my mind was trained. So all the glamour of the world around me didn’t really influence me. It’s all just an extension of being an actor. You have to always remind yourself why you’re here—my primary job is to act, to make movies. I love being in front of the camera and everything else that comes with it is an extension of it.

BT: The Amit GT Couture collection you wore for the Brides Today shoot was all about sequins and beadwork. What did you think about the silhouettes you wore? 

RPS: I love the collection. I think India loves sequins and beadwork. And with the festive and wedding seasons approaching, this collection is perfect. Lehengas are always my personal favourites.

BT: Do you enjoy fashion shoots? How different is it to be in front of the camera when you’re shooting for a movie and shooting for fashion campaigns? 

RPS: I enjoy fashion shoots immensely because I get to experiment so much with my looks. It’s a restriction when you’re shooting for a film. You have to stay true to the character. The two are different, of course, but I just love being in front of a camera, whether it’s moving or still. 

BT: Would you describe yourself as a fashion-conscious individual? What’s your everyday style and HMU routine like when you’re not shooting?

RPS: I’m an easy-going fashion conscious individual. I don’t let the pressure to follow every trend get to me at all. I simply follow my heart. I wear what’s comfortable, and my everyday style is basic with jeans, T-shirt, shorts and oversized clothing. It’s extremely casual… There’s never any hair and makeup routine on my days off either. You’ll see me without blow dried hair, up in a pony with barely any makeup. Because there’s so much of it when I’m working, I like to keep it minimal and natural otherwise.

BT: How does an actor with a packed schedule strike a balance between work and personal time? How do you like to spend your downtime? 

RPS: It doesn’t matter whether you’re an actor or a 9 to 5 employee at an MNC. Everyone works, and it isn’t like I have a more packed schedule than anyone else. When you have the will to strike a balance between your life and work, if you manage your time well, you can always make time for things that are priority. When I have some downtime, I love to travel. And I don’t have that much free time in hand, I pamper myself and love to play golf, and hang out with my family and friends.

BT: What does the rest of 2024 look like for you, on both the professional and personal front? And what are you looking forward to the most in 2025?

RPS: The year looks pretty amazing. On the professional front, I’m shooting for two films, including De De Pyaar De 2, at the moment and I’ve wrapped up two others—one with Neena Gupta and another romcom with Bhoomi Pednekar and Arjun Kapoor. I’m pretty excited about all of these movies. On the personal side, I’m just living a great life!

Editor: Ruchika Mehta (@ruchikamehta05)
Digital Editor: Sonal Ved (@sonalved)
Interview: Shraddha Chowdhury (@shraddha.skc)
Photographer: Nuno Oliveria (@shotbynuno)
Stylist: Who Wore What When (@who_wore_what_when)
Cover Design: Mandeep Khokhar (@mandy_khokhar19)
Editorial Coordinator: Shalini Kanojia (@shalinikanojia)
Make-up Artist: Salim Sayed (@im__sal)
Hair Artist: Aliya Shaik (@aliyashaik28/)
Assistant Stylists: Shubham Jawanjal (@d.shubham_j) , Ankur Pathak (@ankurrpathak), Chaitanya Balwant (@chaitanya_fashion_)
Artist Reputation Management: Spice Social (@spicesocial)
Location Courtesy: Lyla Bombay (@lylabombay)

Rakul is wearing the Fleur De Champs gown inspired by fractal orifices with a ruffled cape, Amit GT (@amitgt_officialpage) (@amitgt.hyderabad)