Right now, I am as single as they come. I mean... the singlest!: Rukhsar Rehman

Time of India

19-05-2025

Rukhsar Rehman at the Bada Imambada on her previous visit to Lucknow (BCCL/ @rukhsarrehman)
On a hot afternoon in Lucknow, we caught up with actress
Rukhsar Rehman
during her visit for a theatre show. Known for films like Sarkar, PK, The
Gone Game
,
Khuda Haafiz
, and 83, Rukhsar fondly calls Lucknow 'LOVEnow,' as mentioned on her gram story, a name inspired by her growing love for the city. With roots in nearby
Rampur
, she says Lucknow feels no less than home.
As we drove around the city, the actress couldn't resist stopping at a roadside sugarcane juice stall, sipping the nostalgia of tasting UP's signature summer cooler. 'If anybody asks me about my hometown, I'm going to say Lucknow,' she says warmly, expressing her love for the city. 'I feel so happy here as the vibe of Lucknow is just so nice.' Rukhsar, who frequently visits Lucknow, shares how she doesn't chase food trails or shopping sprees. Instead, she heads straight to the heart of Lucknow to explore the city's exquisite craft culture. She adds, 'I'm not a foodie or a shopaholic. But I love handwork. Handicrafts are my thing. I visit old areas with small shops where artisans are doing mukaish work and other traditional crafts like chikankari. Along with that, I also love exploring the architecture of Lucknow.'
When it comes to food, she excitedly shares her love for the Lakhnawi chaat. 'I'm a vegetarian now, and I love the chaat served at
Shukla Chaat
and the ganne ka juice we get here. I gained extra kilos once because of ganne ka juice, such is my love for this summer cooler, and this taste you can never get in Bombay,' she says, her eyes lighting up.
Rukhsar Rehman (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
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The Sarkar actress, who was recently in the city for a theatre play, appreciates how Lucknow has a niche and understanding audience for theatre. 'Lucknow now has a rooted theatre scene, which is growing beautifully. What I loved was that the audience was extremely responsive, and secondly, the audience was fluent in Urdu, as the drama was in Urdu, and most of them seemed to be well-versed with it,' she says.
Having started her career very early in life and reflecting on her long-standing journey in the industry, the Khuda Hafiz actress commenting on whether she would change anything about her career choices, shares that she doesn't hold onto any guilt in life. 'I don't regret anything. Maybe if I had been more assertive, more on my toes, it might have been different. But I've never been a go-getter. And I'm fine with that. The biggest difference is responsibility. Earlier, I wasn't responsible if I was late; someone else handled it. Now, I know it's on me to carry my character, my work, to a certain place,' she says.
Rukhsar with her daughter Aisha
The actress, who took a break in her acting career during a turmoil in her personal life, shares that she noticed a certain typecasting after her comeback. She reflects, 'I started playing glamourized older women even when I was very young. They used to put a little brown powder on me to make me look older. I did a lot of commercials and TV ads, and then the kind of offers I got were mostly similar. Breaking out of that was a real challenge. I realized it was getting repetitive. Another problem was that my ad film-age kept increasing. There's your real age, and then there's your screen age. When they don't match, it starts becoming a real problem. These were the first major issues I faced, and it did trouble me after a point.'
Having done a webseries, The Gone Game, speaking of whether OTT had led her to be introduced to more work Rukhsar shares, 'OTT has helped everyone. I don't know about creatively, but the sheer amount of work available has been good, just like when the television boom happened. So many good actors have come through.'
Whilst the actress believes in exploring art and acting through all mediums, theatre remains her beloved. 'I'm doing everything; stage, TV, web shows and films. Even radio! I don't believe actors can be too choosy at any stage. However, theatre remains my first love. When I step onto the stage, it's a different world.'
Rukhsar in a scene from the Aamir Khan-starrer PK
When the conversation moves towards her personal life, the actress admits her journey has been a rollercoaster one. 'Right now, I am as single as they come. I mean... the singlest! However, I'm not missing anything. After 18 years, I'm not missing anybody or any relationship. As for companionship, I have my friends.'
Asked about whether love is on the horizon for her in the future, the PK actress smiles and says, 'Who knows what will happen in the future?'
Adding to the conversation, Rukhsar also shares a light-hearted moment involving her daughter who calls her choice in men poor. She adds, 'Aisha wanted me to make a list, you know, like what are the qualities you seek in a man. She feels my choice in men is very bad,' she laughs. 'For some reason, whenever I even start thinking about someone, suddenly I see a red flag, and that too in Aisha's hand,' says Rukhsar.
Asked about the one red flag no one should ever compromise on, the actress reflects, 'Honestly, I didn't even know red flags were a thing in our society. But truly, if a boy has some shortcomings that bother you, you shouldn't get married.' She explains, 'I would say the person should be honest. He should not be a pathological liar. That's very dangerous. It eventually comes out so easily, and nobody forgets that they lied. It just ruins life.'
When asked if her idea of love has changed after past relationships, she responds thoughtfully, 'No, the idea of love hasn't changed because of what happened personally. It has changed over the years, naturally. When you're in your 20s, love feels different. When you're in your 30s, it changes. And it keeps evolving with your level of understanding and your experiences in life.'
Rukhsar in a still from the web series Haq Se
'Mangoes from Uttar Pradesh even smell different'
This being the mango season Rukhsar says her all-time other summer favourite is the king of fruit. Rukhsar recalls fond memories of her hometown Rampur, and says thats mangoes from Uttar Pradesh even smell different. 'If you're from Uttar Pradesh you would never miss mangoes. Alphonso mangoes are good in Bombay, but the ones from back home like Langda, Chausa, Dussehri, can't be replaced.'
Rukhsar adds, 'I sit and smell fruits from UP and the fragrance takes me back to the days when my father used to cut mangoes and we used to eat them together. Those are some of my favourite memories of summer holiday.'
-Amina Ashraf
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