By Alok Joshi
There is a certain “electric” quality and freshness to Ritika Singh that the silver screen doesn’t quite capture fully. Best known for her National Award-winning debut in “Saala Khadoos” with Madhavan and her recent powerhouse performance alongside Thalaivar Rajinikanth in ‘Vettaiyan’, the kickboxer-turned-actress seemed excited in the beautiful surroundings of Lychee Bagh. She was excited because she was here not for a film shoot but for something more special – her cousin’s wedding.
The Dehradun Connection
In a casual sit-down in the midst of wedding decorations and ceremonies, Ritika appeared far removed from the high-octane action of her films. Dressed comfortably and sporting her trademark curls, she spoke about her love for exploring the Garhwal mountains, her new Dehradun connection (because her brother is getting married in a local family) and her evolution as an actor.
Contrary to anyone’s guess, she lives in Kalyan and not Mumbai. They have a family gym, not the usual gym, but a martial arts-based gym. She started learning Karate from the very young age of three. Her father has trained her. Movies happened accidentally. She was fighting a match which she lost badly but was spotted by Madhavan. Then after several rounds of auditions, she got selected. The movie was shot in Tamil and Hindi at the same time. “I worked hard and memorised the entire script in Tamil,” she told me proudly. Interestingly, she got the National award for the Tamil version, not Hindi. After that she has worked in a few Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films.
Reflecting on ‘Vettaiyan’ and Beyond
The conversation naturally drifted towards her recent stint in the mega-blockbuster Vettaiyan. Sharing screen space with legends like Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan is a dream for many, but for Ritika, it was a masterclass.”Working with Rajini Sir is like being in the presence of a calm sun. You just soak up the energy. It taught me that no matter how big you become, humility is your strongest muscle.”
Before wrapping up, the actress—who started her journey in the Super Fight League, told me that she plans to travel abroad, make videos and explore her love for martial arts, dancing and “ curly hair” secrets.
As she headed off to continue with the pre-wedding preparations, it was clear that Ritika Singh isn’t just a star on the rise; she’s a force of nature—much like the hills of Doon she came to visit.
(Alok Joshi is a Dehradun-based Management Advisor, Corporate Trainer, Image Consultant, Motivational Speaker, author of three books and a freelance writer. He has worked in top management positions in many organisations across many countries.)
