This Has Been A Star Year For Me: Chitrangda Singh
After good outings in 2025, she has ‘Battle of Galwan’ opposite Salman to look forward to in 2026
Chitrangda Singh will remember 2025 as the year she truly felt validated. Showcasing her range across genres — from action thriller Khakee: The Bengal Chapter and the comic caper Housefull 5 to the whodunnit Raat Akeli Hai 2 — the actor is enjoying one of the most fulfilling phases of her career.
The 2026 forecast looks equally promising, as she plays the romantic lead opposite Salman Khan in the much-anticipated war drama Battle of Galwan. Her excitement is palpable as she speaks about the film which offers her significant scope as a performer.
“It is a commercial film, of course, but it’s also based on real incidents. There are very good scenes in the film and I hope people notice my work. I also get to work with the biggest superstar of several decades — that was a huge thing. I have known him on social media, but we never discussed work. I had never pitched myself, and never thought we would work together,” she says.
The casting has also drawn attention, as this is the first time in 18 years that Salman Khan, now 60, will not be romancing a much younger heroine.
The 49-year-old Chitrangda takes a pragmatic view of age and casting. “I feel it’s very important to get the same maturity for pairing, whether in terms of age or the kind of emotional maturity Alia Bhatt displays in the characters she plays. Age does matter when you play certain characters; or you have to get someone who has that emotional depth.”
Chitrangda is also set for her second stint as a producer, eight years after her maiden production Soorma, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Taapsee Pannu.
“It’s a biopic, not sports. We will announce it as soon as everything gets locked,” she says, adding, “This is something I’ve been working on for a while, but it took time to get the rights. Next year, if all goes well, we should start it.”
The actor, who made a sensational debut in 2005 with Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, had consciously stepped away from the spotlight and made only sporadic appearances on screen as she devoted time to her personal life. The decision cost her plum projects such as Chalte Chalte and Ishqiya. However, she has no regrets. “The only thing I wish I hadn’t done was change my phone number. That step totally disconnected me from everything. I thought it would be difficult for me to move on otherwise. But maybe if I hadn’t changed my phone number, maybe if I knew who was looking for me, maybe I would have tried to make something work along with my family set up,” she says.