In 2016, Rai starred in Omung Kumar's biographical drama "Sarbjit". The film is based on the life of Indian farmer Sarabjit Singh, who was convicted of terrorism by a Pakistani court, and how his sister Dalbir Kaur fought relentlessly for his release. Rai played the role of the sister of Sarabjit Singh (played by Randeep Hooda). The film premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, and received mixed reactions from critics. Few reviewers expressed that Rai was "miscast" as she neither looked nor sounded like a Sikh woman. Her Punjabi accent and her over-the-top performance in few scenes was largely criticized, though several critics took note of how much she stood out in the film's quieter scenes. Rajeev Masand summarised that "she's required to scream and shout and weep copiously to express her anguish; the shrillness does her no favors. In quieter moments – like one in which Dalbir can't bear to part with her stillborn baby – the actress shines." Nonetheless her role earned her tenth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. The film earned over worldwide against a production budget of .