For actor Rakul Preet Singh, Runway 34 is a rather special film. It’s the first time that she will be seen donning the uniform of the armed forces, as she plays a co-pilot in the thriller. Talking about how wearing the uniform brought about “a sense of pride and dignity” within her, she says, “You can’t be slouchy while playing such a character. You assume a certain posture with your head held high and it happens very organically when you wear a uniform. While doing a role like this, your body language and the way you react to situations, change.”

Born to a father who was an army officer makes the film a personal experience for her. “I have grown up with people in uniform around me,” she says. Ask how her dad, retired Colonel Kulvinder Singh, felt when she signed the movie and Singh says, “My parents love that I am wearing a uniform in the film, but they won’t say anything until they watch it. My father gives me critical reviews. So, for me, they are the public; I get the best reviews from them.”

A big part of the Ajay Devgn directorial was shot in a real simulation cockpit. And that, Singh believes, helped her slip under the skin for her character in a better way. “The homework that went behind the role was to understand the cockpit. We had a captain on the set to guide us. I also worked a lot on my tone. The audience will see more thahraav in me,” says the 31-year-old.

But wasn’t shooting in a limited space difficult? She says, “Ajay sir had placed seven cameras in the cockpit so that we don’t have to repeat any shot. We had to make use of the space available to us.”