Chitrangada Singh hails Dubai’s ‘nothing stops you’ startup spirit as she gears up to host The Falcons of Majlis in UAE

Dubai: “Everything just feels so normal,” says Bollywood actress Chitrangada Singh as she talks about Dubai’s incredible ability to keep moving forward despite regional uncertainty.

“The fact that we are sitting here and discussing a show like this today is proof of how strong and resilient this ecosystem is.”

The Bollywood actor was in Dubai this weekend to launch The Falcons of Majlis, a startup-focused show spotlighting entrepreneurs and founders in the region.

And according to Singh, Dubai was the perfect backdrop for a show about ambition and resilience. The filming of the show will begin in July, she adds.

“The people make the country,” she says. “It’s the spirit that survives everything… Nothing stops you.”

Interestingly, Singh says she relates strongly to the entrepreneurial mindset herself.

“I think there’s an entrepreneur in all of us,” she says. “We’re all sitting with ideas.”

In fact, she reveals she’s nurturing a business idea of her own.

“There is something that I want to do on my own as well,” she says. “I don’t think it’s mature enough for me to talk about right now.”

Her interest in startups grew after hosting The Rockford Circle, where she interviewed founders behind unicorn companies and major businesses.

“The more I talk to these people, the more interesting it gets,” she says. “You hear about how many failures they went through before succeeding. It’s very inspiring.”

And Singh insists her role in The Falcons of Majlis goes beyond glamour and hosting duties.

“There’s a lot more than just being the host,” she says. “I’ll be the link between the founders and the mentors. I’ll help them through if they get stuck somewhere, and I’ll advocate for them when they need support.”

The actress also spoke candidly about hustle culture and whether greed fuels success.

“You can be content, but you should never be satisfied,” she says. “There’s a difference.”

She quickly dismisses the famous “Greed is good” philosophy from Wall Street.

“I don’t think greed is the right word,” she says.

“Passion is a better word. Passion makes you work harder because it’s not just about money or status. There’s something beyond that.”

Chitrangada Singh is known for acclaimed films such as Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Inkaar, and Desi Boyz and loves to balance glamour with performance-driven roles.

And while Singh may now be pivoting into entrepreneurship-themed entertainment, one thing about her hasn’t changed: her timeless appearance.

When I jokingly tell her she looks exactly the same as she did 15 years ago, Singh bursts out laughing and recalls a recent conversation with her Desi Boyz co-star Akshay Kumar.

“I sent Akshay an old picture recently,” she says.

“And he replied saying, ‘Tum fridge mein rehti ho?’ [do you live in a fridge?] because he clearly looks very different. But in all seriousness, when you love doing what you are doing, you tend to feel and look young."

The laughter comes easily, but so does the self-awareness. Singh knows longevity in Bollywood is rare, especially for women, and yet she has carved her own space through consistency rather than chaos.

Perhaps that’s why The Falcons of Majlis feels like such an organic extension of where she is today. The show celebrates people who keep building, adapting, and believing in ideas even when success isn’t guaranteed.

And Singh clearly respects that hustle.

“This isn’t just entertainment,” she says. “It’s an important show.”