“They Said I Was Too Hot to Play the Girl-Next-Door”: Rakul Preet Singh Opens Up on Stereotyping in Cinema

Rakul Preet Singh has steadily carved a niche for herself in Indian cinema with roles that range from glamorous to grounded. But behind the scenes, her journey has been shaped by constant reinvention and a strong sense of self-awareness. In a recent podcast appearance, the actress opened up about the fleeting nature of fame, industry stereotyping, and the importance of following one's instinct.

Speaking candidly, Rakul shared “This industry is very short-lived—from Friday to Friday. The Friday your commercial, glamorous film releases... like when De De Pyaar De released, everyone thought, ‘Oh, she’s very hot, how will she play the girl-next-door?’ So I started getting more of those hot-looking roles. But in our industry, what happens is—if you do two similar kinds of films, then by the third one, people start thinking, ‘No, she can’t play the girl-next-door anymore.’”

Prior to her Bollywood success, Rakul had established herself in South Indian cinema with roles that leaned more towards the girl-next-door image. It was only when director Luv Ranjan and filmmaker Akiv Ali saw her potential for De De Pyaar De that she underwent a significant transformation—both physically and emotionally—to fit the part of Ayesha. The success of that role led to a string of similar glamorous characters, further locking her into a particular on-screen perception revealed Rakul.

However, the turning point came with Doctor G. Recalling how she actively approached the director for the role, Rakul added“ The director and producer were confident, but someone else on the team wasn’t too sure if I would look like a girl from Lucknow, or whether I’d even look like a doctor. So I said, ‘Do a look test! Why think so much?’
I feel you should follow your gut. And whenever you feel unsure, just tell them—‘Do a test and see… do I look the part or not?’” Rakul’s experience sheds light on the unspoken pressure actors face in proving their versatility. Her journey is not just about roles and releases—it’s a testament to belief, persistence, and the quiet confidence to ask, “Give me a chance. Let me show you.”