Rakul Preet Singh ‘guarantees’ fans can watch Doctor G with family: ‘It won’t feel vulgar’

Rakul Preet Singh is enjoying quite the prolific year. Having seen the release of three films already, she is ready with two more in just this month. The first of them is social comedy Doctor G, which releases in theatres this Friday. The actor sat down for a candid chat with Hindustan Times to talk about the film, her career, and why south films are so successful in the north of late. (Also read: Doctor G song Har Jagah Tu sees Ayushmann Khurrana gush over Rakul Preet Singh)

Doctor G also stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Shefali Shah and follows a male doctor stuck in the supposedly all-female world of gynecology. The actor plays Dr Fatima, a UP girl studying to be a gynecologist. And she says she had to take many diction and gynecology classes for the role. “Creating Dr Fatima was a lot of fun. There were diction classes because she speaks in a certain way. We had about a month of diction classes. And then, of course, gynecology sessions to understand the terms and how you speak in an OT. We had 4-5 days of sessions with a gynecologist to remember the names of the tools we use, or how do you hold a newborn baby. Whether you use that in the film or not, but you totally prepare for it because while doing a scene, you might just need to use something. We had a gynac on set as well to make sure we were speaking the right way. The entire process was very exciting.”

Rakul says that while Doctor G deals with a subject considered taboo–gynecology–it is a family entertainer that one can watch with their parents. “They have written such a beautiful script. We are not trying to be preachy. All we are saying is that that a profession should not be looked at what your sex is and what your ability is. That, I’m sure a lot of people will agree with. As per stats, some of the best gynecs in the country are men but women may shy away from being open with them. And that’s what we say, your credibility doesn’t depend on your gender. I can guarantee you that you can watch this film with your parents and not feel vulgar,” she says.

The last few years have seen several story-driven films becoming sleeper hits, and Rakul feels that is testament to the age-old adage ‘script is king’. She says, “I think this time is the best example of how a lot of films have worked despite not having the star pull. But it was the concept and story that people got excited about, and that made stars out of the newer actors. Whether you look at Ayushmann or Rajkummar Rao, guys that came from non-film backgrounds and their films have clicked with the audiences, which is why they have a certain pull.”

But still, Bollywood has faltered in adapting to the change of late and Rakul admits there are learnings to be had. She says, “Of course, star value adds but these days, the script is the biggest hero and everyone understands that. Time is changing, cinema is evolving. It’s a process that is ongoing and we are also figuring it on the go.”

She has five releases this year and all five are in different genres. Calling herself fortunate to have that diversity of choice. She shares, “My endeavour is to do different things because I want to be excited every day when I wake up at 5am and go for a shoot. Having said that, it’s also luck that these films came to me because I can only choose from what I get. But yes, I want to be different. So, Runway 34 was very different from Cuttputlli, and Doctor G is different from Thank God, which is a completely different genre. I just hope I keep getting these opportunities.”

Rakul began her career down south and over the last decade and a half, she has worked in films in several languages. Now, with the language barriers blurring, she feels it is a good time for cinema. Talking about the diminishing language divide, the actor says, “It was bound to happen because at the end of the day, we are all Indians and we share some common sensibilities. We come from different states and yes we have differences in backgrounds but the core emotion is the same. I feel any cinema that is emotionally driven will connect with the audiences. Because all the emotions are the same. You feel love, fear, and sadness all in the same way across languages. Today, the barriers are not there because of social media and the internet. So today, someone in the north is watching a Tamil or Telugu film not because it’s a south Indian film but because it’s a good film. Ultimately, it’s the film that lands.”

Rakul’s film–Doctor G–lands on October 14 in the theatres. Directed by Anubhuti Kashyap and written by Sourabh Bhagat and Vishal Wagh, the film is produced by Junglee Pictures.