As Hyderabad welcomed 2026, actress Payal Rajput chose to step into it surrounded by people, lights and shared energy. She was in the city for a New Year’s Eve celebration at Caffe Jubilee in Jubilee Hills, a conscious decision that came from a deeply personal place. After a year marked by emotional upheaval and loss, she wanted to be out, present and hopeful, choosing positivity as she moved ahead into the new year.
Talking about what made her say yes to the celebration, Payal shared, “I got this offer about two months back, and they booked it then, and I felt I had to go because I wanted to be surrounded by positivity. 2025 had its own ups and downs in my life, especially after losing my father to cancer. The last six months were difficult, but as we enter 2026, I want happiness ahead. That is why I said yes when I got offered the event.”
Reflecting on her journey from television to films, Payal described how early responsibility shaped her outlook. “I started really early, around when I was 23 years old. Everything was on my shoulders, and I shifted to Mumbai in 2012–13. I always say God has been kind to me,” she said, recalling how television taught her the basics of acting. Rejections followed, including comments about her height, but she credits her breakthrough to Punjabi cinema and later to Telugu films. “RX 100 was the turning point of my life. It gave me fame, work and recognition, but it was not overnight. I struggled for six to seven years before that, and since then, I have kept moving ahead,” the actress noted.
On handling success, she was honest about her learning curve. “I did not know how to handle money at first, so I asked friends for help on how to manage things because I was quite naive then. Still, I handled it carefully because success comes once in a blue moon, while failure can come every day. I was prepared for how to handle it, even though I did not know how to socialise or encash stardom. Yet I understood early that life moves through hills and valleys,” she said.
Having worked across Punjabi and Telugu industries, Payal said language is the only real difference. “Punjabi is my mother tongue and Telugu has changed the trajectory of my life and career completely. It has given me everything I dreamed of. Telugu cinema is very close to my heart. The people are professional, grounded and open to experimenting,” she narrated.
Today, her choices are driven by clarity rather than urgency. “If I look back five to seven years, my career in films came from a place where I could not afford choices and only wanted one film to prove my talent. I was fortunate that my debut films were hits and won me awards. Today, I am more careful and often confused because my audience relies on my choices. I now look first at the director and their vision, the script, its commercial value, and finally the team and technicians,” she said.
Speaking about setbacks, she added, “Failure is a part of success. You fail every day, but you have to rise like a phoenix every time. You have to push yourself and you should be surrounded by people who can push you at a time when you are going to fall.”
Away from sets, Hyderabad has become home. And a day where Payal is not working looks like: “Since my mom has shifted with me to Hyderabad, whenever I am not working or in Mumbai, I am mostly here with her. I wake up and drink my turmeric water with my mom, and we chat about everything and enjoy those moments. I have pets, so I give my time to them and play with them. Being a big foodie, I make sure I balance it with movement, doing pilates or yoga. If I am free, we plan outings, spend time with loved ones, and I also focus on self-care through massages and facials, which help me relax.”
As she looks ahead, Payal revealed three releases lined up for 2026. “I have three projects lined up for release. The first one is a Tamil film, tentatively titled Leader, which is set to release somewhere around February. After that, I am doing a Punjabi film with Raj Kundra sir, Shilpa Shetty’s husband, and there is another film shot in London releasing around May, giving me back-to-back releases in 2026,” the actress shared smiling.