Brand launch

Always keeping her mind open for associations, investments and brands, Singh said that despite not knowing much about diapers as she is not a mother, what struck her about the new brand was that it was good for the environment.

"Post-COVID, we are talking about sustainability and this is a little bit we can do as responsible citizens. Each diaper, which is not biodegradable, takes about 500 years to decompose. This means that somewhere on the planet the first diaper still exists. So, imagine the contamination of landfill which leads to global warming, the heat waves we are experiencing currently. We have to become conscious beings," said Singh, who is also the co-founder of New Boo.

The brand offers a pack of three diapers for Rs 800 and is available online. The plan is to make it available in stores as well, Singh said. "There were trial runs in January before the brand's launch in March this year. We have received good feedback and will be sending out New Boo diapers to all new moms even in the industry and seeking their feedback," she added.

Planning for a fund-raising round for New Boo, Singh said that while there are endless possibilities for environment-friendly products under the brand New Boo, it is early as the focus is on the diaper category now.

New Boo is another addition to Singh's business portfolio. She started her entrepreneurial journey with the launch of F45 Gyms in 2016. However, the gym chain faced challenges during the COVID years.

Focus on fitness

"It was a little tough, post-COVID, but pre-COVID, it (F45 Gyms) was faring well. But then the health scare came and fitness was not a priority for a larger population. It took us about 6-8 months to get back after COVID. COVID was a very bad time for the gym industry, especially for employees and trainers, and gyms were the last to open after COVID. It was almost after a year's gap that gyms were allowed to open without many restrictions," the actor said.

Singh, who focuses on fitness, films, and food, has no plans of expanding the gym network beyond the franchises in Hyderabad and Vizag. "Do not have expansion plans right now because I moved my base later to Mumbai and I do not see the studio format that F45 has growing much in Mumbai as it is more of a personal training setup and the rents are very high. So I feel the business math doesn't make sense.  I will do something around fitness at some point of my life because I love talking about fitness as it is a very important part of who I am," she said.

Singh, who hits the gym daily as many would have seen on her social media account, said that exercise is like morning coffee. "I can't do without training. Working out is a way of life for me."

Giving a few fitness tips, the actor said that everyone needs to make smaller changes to keep their body fit. "You don't necessarily need to join a gym, you can walk down the stairs, you can do yoga, just keep moving, join a sport. People say they can't find time but one can find time for anything they prioritise. It is time we set the time for work-out and even 15-20 minutes are enough for a healthy lifestyle. Also, another fitness tip is that you don't need expensive food to stay fit. Your simple dal, roti (chapati), and chawal (rice) on which we have grown up is good for the body. I have parathas with clarified butter every single day," she said.

To advocate fitness, Singh has previously invested in various wellness and health startups and recently she backed a food nutrition venture-- Wellbeing Nutrition.

"We take care of our houses but we need to take care of the body we live in as well. You have to take care of your body, give it nutrition and exercise. Your body is only going to support you till your middle age and it will treat you back the way you treat it," she said.

Films, sports, and more

Along with fitness, Singh's interest in technology and films made her launch an app called StarringYou in 2021, a recruitment platform for aspirants in the film industry. "The platform has over 20,000 users currently and we are partnering with a company to create self-sustaining content which will include films and short films. I will soon announce the tie-up. We will come into the production of smaller films and advertising, and we will cast those who have been part of the StarringYou family. This will create jobs for those who are part of the platform," she said.

Sports is another area of focus for Singh, who invested in the Hyderabad team of Tennis Premier League (TPL), in 2019. "I have always been very sports-inclined. Being an army kid, I have played different sports. So when this opportunity came, it was big because, apart from cricket, there are very few sports in which there are opportunities for younger kids."

She also said that we should stop calling sports and other creative arts extracurricular activities. "Look at people who have achieved big names in sports. It cannot be extra unless a child has an aptitude for it and is giving time to it from an early age. So, at the school level, an aptitude test to see what the child is interested in is needed. Education is important but prioritising the activity the child is passionate about is equally important. I truly believe in building a life you don't need a vacation from," said Singh.

Rakul Preet Singh, who last acted in Chhatriwali, has two upcoming films in Hindi. "There are two Hindi films that will release this year and then there is Indian 2 in Tamil," she said.