HYDERABAD: She represented India at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games and also participated in the Super Fight League. A mixed martial artist who never dreamed of becoming an actress, Ritika Singh stole hearts across the Telugu, Tamil and Hindi film industries with her debut film in Tamil, Irudhi Suttru, released in Telugu as Guru and Hindi as Saala Khadoos. Her powerful portrayal of a fierce boxer earned her a National Film Award Special mention, apart from several other awards.
Now, as she shines as Meenakshi in Bench Life, a series produced by Niharika Konidela, Ritika opens up to CE about her journey and more. Our personalities are very different. When Manasa and I discussed the character, I asked her, “Wait, is this your own story?” And she confirmed it was.
I was honoured that she trusted me to bring Meenakshi to life. People usually expect me to play tough characters but Meenakshi is vulnerable. She has this sadness in her eyes, which was challenging for me to portray since I usually don’t show sadness outwardly.
But I loved the character; she’s resilient, always fighting society, her family, and friends. I’ve been a professional fighter for as long as I can remember, learning karate under my dad’s guidance when I was just three. As I entered my teens, I realised how much I loved competition and became a national champion multiple times.
When I was 18, Madhavan sir and my first director, Sudha Kongara, spotted me during a tournament. I actually lost that match bu.
