Rakul Preet Singh cherishes memories of celebrating Navaratri in a grand way as a kid. But over the years, she has gained a different perspective on the relevance of these glorious Indian festivals and their significance in our lives. As a self-made, successful actress in Bollywood, she looks at Navaratri as a celebration of the spirit of womanhood.

She says, “In our mythology, there is so much importance given to the power of women and there are festivals celebrating that. Somewhere, we probably lost our way and became a patriarchal society. I feel these festivals remind us of the power each woman possesses. Women are the most beautiful beings on the planet. We are strong and empathetic. Each woman should rise above the rituals of a festival and understand its true significance. On Navaratri, it’s all about her power, voice, and standing in society.”

However, she can’t wait to revel in the festive feeling of a deluge of people coming together as one, irrespective of state, religion, or language, and just exuding pure joy to mark the festival. “It’s beautiful to see so many people forget their daily struggles, their differences, dancing to the vibe around and sharing so much happiness, which is special. And that’s how I like celebrating my festivals,” she shares, adding, “For Navaratri, if I get time off from my schedule, I plan to go for a garba or dandiya night where I can be part of this oneness that Indian festivals embody. And what better place to do that than Mumbai!”

And what about her Navaratri OOTDs? Well, for festivals, Rakul believes in keeping it traditional yet comfortable. “Festivals are about sharing joy with people, not about getting stuck in a dress so bad that you can’t move around freely! For Navaratri, I opt for easy, free-flowing Indian outfits, lighter earrings, pops of bright colours… so I can feel close to my Indian roots, but at the same time, enjoy,” she signs off.

Rakul Preet Singh had just wrapped up the final schedule of her upcoming project when Section 144 was imposed in Maharashtra. With seven films in the pipeline, the actor says, “My films are all piling up. I’m not worried because I know that no one can defy fate. However, I wish that those which were supposed to be released last year did so and people had the chance to see more of me. The entire process got delayed, else I could have signed more films.”

Singh regrets people not adopting Covid-appropriate behaviour despite going through a lockdown last year. “I wish we were more responsible as individuals. We’ve seen people losing their jobs and the economy shattering. We, as a collective, are failing to understand the gravity of the situation. Just because the economy had opened up, it didn’t mean that Covid had disappeared. And now, we’re back to square one! The saddest part is we’re not learning our lesson,” she explains. 

The De De Pyaar De (2019) actor hopes that the current Coronavirus lockdown doesn’t go on for too long. Expressing her concern, Singh says, “I’m supposed to start shooting for Doctor G from May 1. But actors can sit at home if the situation so demands. It is the small businesses such as restaurants that I feel bad for. My heart also goes out to daily wage earners who depend on each shoot schedule and shift. What’s going to happen to them?”

Drawing attention to the need to be careful and cases of reinfection among those who tested positive in the past, she remarks, “I, personally, know about five people who got Covid for the second time. And the infection is more severe the second time. Our body has a certain threshold and we can’t keep pushing it.”