Rakul Preet Singh Takes a Swipe at Bollywood’s Paid PR Culture, Says Work Speaks Louder Than Hype
From calling out fake relevance to praising South cinema’s unity, the De De Pyaar De 2 actor opens up about success, setbacks, and staying real in showbiz
Rakul Preet Singh, who was recently seen in De De Pyaar De 2 alongside Ajay Devgn, is making headlines for her brutally honest views on how the film industry functions behind the glamour. While the sequel generated mixed reactions from audiences and critics, Rakul has shifted the spotlight away from box office numbers to address what she believes is a growing problem in Bollywood—paid publicity and manufactured relevance. In a candid interaction, the actress questioned why some people resort to aggressive PR tactics, including pulling others down, instead of letting their work do the talking. She made it clear that while a basic level of visibility is unavoidable in today’s industry, negativity and fake narratives are not something she relates to, adding that she firmly believes good karma and genuine effort eventually find their reward.
The actress also spoke about the unnecessary pressure actors feel to constantly be seen and photographed. Sharing a light anecdote about being clicked multiple times in the same outfit, Rakul admitted she doesn’t obsess over paparazzi appearances. According to her, it’s unrealistic to be “camera-ready” all the time, and she feels actors shouldn’t burden themselves with such expectations. For her, comfort and authenticity matter far more than curated appearances.
Rakul further dismantled the long-held belief that attending parties and networking events can land actors film roles. She revealed that she never relied on socialising to move ahead in her career and strongly feels that no one gets cast simply because they were spotted at a party. In her words, people don’t even remember who they met the next day. While she does attend industry events occasionally, she usually arrives on time and leaves early, maintaining that work leads to more work—not late-night socialising.
Reflecting on her early career struggles, Rakul opened up about facing replacements and missed opportunities at a time when she didn’t have the privilege of easy access. Instead of letting disappointment consume her, she chose self-belief as her anchor. She credited her parents for being her strongest support system, giving her the emotional space and time to find her footing while keeping her grounded. Rakul believes that not knowing too much about the industry’s politics early on actually protected her mental peace and helped her stay positive. For her, confidence has always come from belief in herself, not arrogance.
Having worked extensively in both South Indian cinema and Bollywood, Rakul also highlighted a stark difference in work culture. She praised stars like Allu Arjun and Mahesh Babu, noting how united and supportive the Telugu film industry is. According to her, that sense of collective pride and encouragement is something she deeply values and learned during her formative years in the South. While she feels Bollywood often operates with a “what’s in it for me” mindset, she still makes it a point to support fellow artists whenever she can, regardless of personal gain.
On the work front, Rakul continues to stay busy with a diverse slate of upcoming projects across Hindi and South cinema, reinforcing her belief that consistency and sincerity matter more than noise. Her candid remarks have struck a chord, especially at a time when discussions around authenticity, relevance, and mental well-being in the film industry are becoming louder.
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