For me, fitness is not just about hitting the gym; it is also about an inner happiness and an overall well-being.
Rakul Preet Singh
I believe in hard work, not luck factor. The best efforts will reap the best fruits. Nobody can take all the credit. We don't even talk about the efforts of the director, the writers, other technicians, etc. They all together take a film to another level.
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.
There's competition at every phase of your life. The day we start thinking about it, you lose your peace of mind. I don't compete with anyone.
I consider Rashi Khanna and Regina Cassandra as my best friends. They say there are three Rs in the Telugu industry: Rakul, Rashi, and Regina. All three of us debuted in the same year, and while we all compete for the same roles, we are still the closest, and we confide in each other.
I think there is an army clock ticking in me. I value time. I always want to be on time. I don't complain about things, saying, 'There is no caravan here,' etc. For example, they could only arrange a tent on the location of 'Pareshanu Raa'. I understand the importance of money. I respect my work a lot. Not that I am the only one who works hard.
I was a national level golf player. I gave up golf after a while when I wanted to model, as I would tan while playing it. I love watching movies and hanging out with my friends in Delhi.
My mother often tells me not to drive back home late in the night. But like all youngsters, I suggest that there is nothing to worry. I tell her I have my driver, I have my security.
I understand only three things - films, fitness, and food.
Girls shouldn't drink because their bodies are not made for drinking and smoking.
When I heard the script of 'Loukyam,' I was laughing, as it was such a laugh riot. So all this made me sign the film.
'Bruce Lee' didn't work, and there were apprehensions about what the fans might say. People might have commented that Charan could have waited for some time before selecting me again. But that's what makes it a real achievement to me. People want to work with me because of the comfort level; nobody would work with you again otherwise.
If I don't get healthy food, my staff cooks for me.
I don't get tired of my work because you can't get tired of something you love and enjoy! But, having said that, I wish to get a break of four to five days, or at least three days, switch off my cell phone, and do what I want to.
I am blessed to have worked in big-budget films at an early stage of my career.
I don't think one should attribute the success and failure of a film to a single actor. When you decide to do a film, you weigh the pros and cons before taking a call. Only when you run out of patience, get insecure, and feel your career is heading nowhere do you sign anything that comes your way.
Walk up and down the stairs ten times a day. Do an hour's walking. Release toxins just so that you feel happy. Drink a lot of water; sleep on time.
My dad is from the army, and so we studied all over. I had done an Onida campaign at the age of two, as my mom always had this inclination for me to model, but my dad was clear that I could model only when I turned 18, so immediately after school, I started modelling.
If the girl is good looking and talented, and for some reason the film doesn't work, she gets a second chance. But if subsequent films don't work, she gets branded as an 'iron leg.' The whole thing gets negative.
Speaking in broken Telugu is one thing, and dubbing is another.
I love to travel. This is the time for me. When will I do it if not now?
I have a lot of love for nature, trees, animals and greenery, and I feel that if I did not exist, there'd be no greenery on the face of the earth.
A stylist understands our body language; they know what works and what doesn't. I'm happy this concept has caught on in the South film industry.
There's work for everybody, and I believe every actor gets what he/she deserves. Honestly, I just want to work as long as I can and do great films and act with every good actor around.
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.
My first film would have been 'Rough,' and it got delayed. 'Venkatadri Express' released first and became a big success. I signed 'Venkatadri' after 15 days of shooting for 'Rough'. I had lot of faith in the script, and I feel luck plays a major part.
I can memorise lines quickly. Knowing Telugu now has helped improve my performance.
A lot of people don't know that I had a special appearance in 'Keratam'; that was my first Telugu film. I only shot for four to five days. When they called me, I said, 'I can't give 60 days for a movie. If you have something for one week or 10 days, then I can accommodate.'
I'm greedy for work, and at times, I wish a month had more days, or the day had more number of hours, so that I could work more. I'm happy to be busy.
For being in a relationship or to be linked up with somebody, you need to have time. I hang out with my friends just at my leisure, but there's no time to get into any link up.
I've seen 'Legend'. I like a different kind of cinema, but when done with conviction, anything looks good.
I think female-centric films shouldn't be only about thriller or horror. Angelina Jolie has been doing all kinds of stuff.
I've been to Chennai several times for modelling shows and shooting ad films. It's a great place to come back to because the people are warm and welcoming. I've never had the opportunity to actually see the city, but whatever places I've been to have really caught my attention.
Reviewers are entitled to say if they liked the screenplay, performance, and execution of a film or not. But when they say things like the film doesn't cater to a certain audience, it leaves people wondering if they should watch it.
A lot of hard work goes into making a film. It's not all fun time, as people tend to think. There are always stereotypes attached to every profession, but I found out this industry breaks them all.
After becoming an actor, it's the privacy that I miss.
Tollywood is where I made a name for myself, and it's all thanks to the love and affection my fans have showered on me. The least I can do in return is to learn to speak the Telugu language correctly.
A lot of people tell me, 'You are from North; how do you manage to get along in the South?' I don't know what to say to them. I've always felt at home here, and by learning to speak Telugu, my connection with the place has gotten that much stronger.
When I initially moved to the city, I had to stay in hotels for almost two years. I was fed up of that life, and it was then that I decided that I wanted a home in the city, so I shifted base permanently.
Growth is a sub-conscious activity, and I learnt a lot in this course, and I'm always open to learning and grasping new things from people. I'm learning with every film, and my confidence levels and technique is also getting better with each film.
Everyone gets a raise when they do well. No one asked me what I got for my initial films. There was a time I got paid Rs. 6 lakh. I charge what producers are willing to pay me.
In 10 months, I was replaced from three films. That's when I realised I need to take my work seriously. It's a blessing I didn't get things easy. If I had, I wouldn't realise the value of success.
A newcomer needs to be careful as to what kind of role they choose. If you choose something different, you will end up getting typecast. That's why I chose to play a character my age, to keep my options open for the future.
Hindi film and southern film industries are doing well when it comes to technical know how. By and large, they are pretty similar and are close knit industries.
Before I came to Bollywood, lot of people told me that here things are not very professional, but I've had no such experience.
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.
Boyapati is one of the few directors who can pull off a masala film like 'Sarrainodu'.
People ask if success changes one overnight. I am just doing my job, and I worked way too hard to get here. I didn't get it easy.
'Winner' is a commercial family entertainer with a strong emotional core. Teju couldn't hold back his tears after watching the movie. The horse race portions were mostly shot in Turkey.
I dubbed for 'Nannaku Prematho' because in that film, I was doing a London-based character, and even if some mistake happens with pronunciation, people would excuse it.
