Rakul Preet Singh, A Cycling Enthusiast: Hyd ORR Has Dedicated Cycling Track

Rakul Preet Singh has always considered cycling a way of life, growing up in various army cantonments due to her father's postings. In a recent conversation, the actress shared her fondest memories of riding a bicycle and how she seizes every opportunity to hop on a cycle.

"I refused to take off the training wheels of my bicycle because I was afraid of falling," Rakul shared. Her father gifted her a bicycle when she was in the 5th grade and taught her how to ride it. "I used to ride with training wheels, and I was so afraid of losing my balance that I refused to take them off. Then one day, my dad made them loose, and they came off while I was riding. He pointed out, 'Look, you're cycling without the training wheels.' I was doing fine until he said that, and then I lost my balance and fell. I still have the bruise on my leg from that day."

Rakul reminisced about her childhood in various cantonments, including Deolali, Jalandhar, and Firozpur, where her parents encouraged her and her brother to use bicycles for transportation. "We used cycles to go to school, swimming sessions, and everywhere else. Riding a cycle has been an integral part of my growing up years," she said.

Even now, Rakul prefers cycling to work, especially when shooting at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. "The Outer Ring Road in Hyderabad has a dedicated cycling track. Once I reach the Ring Road, I take the cycle out of my car and ride it for an hour till I reach Film City, while my car follows me. Then I put the cycle back in my car, freshen up in my vanity van, and get ready for the shoot," she explained.

Rakul also mentioned her love for cycling with her husband Jackky Bhagnani, especially in places like London's Hyde Park. "Jackky and I love to cycle around London, especially at Hyde Park. I never ride pillion! Do I look like someone who would ride pillion? Whether it's a cycle, bike, or car, I just want to be the one driving (laughs)," she said. "It's so much fun to cycle around in Amsterdam and London. They have cycle stations where you can pick up cycles from anywhere and drop them anywhere. It's so convenient, and the weather there permits cycling too."

Rakul also emphasized the importance of cycling for short distances and urged everyone to make a conscious effort to adopt this healthy lifestyle. "Everyone should try and make a conscious effort to cycle around for short distances. We all need to make a collective effort towards a better future; otherwise, we are just consuming everything the planet has to offer and not giving back anything in return. So, wherever we can, we need to take these small steps."