Bollywood actress Rakul Preet Singh opened up about playing a pilot and the work that went into getting into the skin of her character, Tanya Albuquerque, ahead of the premiere of her forthcoming film, Runway 34. Rakul, who plays Ajay Devgn's co-pilot in the upcoming thriller, revealed that she was mentored by a professional pilot who helped her develop the required abilities.
She said in an interview, "My experience playing a pilot was amazing because I love my job for the reason that you get to play different roles and learn so many different things." The actor recalls going through cockpit training for roughly 2-3 days, during which a captain taught them how to operate a panel while filming in a'real simulator.' She added," During the entire shoot, the captain was there just to make sure that we use the right button, and use right terminology while flying a plane so it looks authentic."
She also highlighted the sense of respect that comes with wearing the uniform, as well as how it affects one's body language and behavior. "When you step into a uniform there is a certain sense of dignity that automatically steps in the way you walk, the way you talk, the way your language is, the way you react is very different from what a girl next door would. This is all that went into preparing for this role," said the Yaariyan (2014) actress.
Rakul also called Runway 34's script one of the best she'd ever read, which prompted her to prepare for the part. For those unaware, the film is said to be based on the true story of the Jet Airways Doha to Kochi flight, which narrowly escaped disaster in 2015 after experiencing difficulty landing at Cochin International Airport in the early hours of the morning.