Actress Radhika Apte has once again spoken openly about her difficult experiences while working in the South Indian film industry. Known for her forthright views, Apte has previously addressed the discomfort she faced on certain film sets. She has worked in several South Indian films, including Raktha Charitra, Kabali and Legend.
In a recent interview while promoting her latest release Saali Mohabbat, Radhika recalled this phase of her career and explained the circumstances that led her to take up those projects. She revealed that her move towards South Indian cinema at the time was driven more by financial necessity.
Radhika recalled that she was in urgent need of work and income, which left her with limited choices. She described one particular incident during a shoot in a small town where she was the only woman on set and that made her extremely uncomfortable. During the filming, she was repeatedly instructed to use excessive padding on her body to meet certain visual expectations.
She was repeatedly asked to add more padding, despite questioning how much was actually required. She added that the lack of basic support made the situation worse. At the time, she had no manager or agent and was not permitted to bring her own team. The entire crew around her was male, and she noted that sexist remarks and jokes were treated as norm on the set.
Radhika also mentioned that some of her unsettling experiences were not limited to south indian cinema. She revealed that she encountered troubling behaviour from certain influential figures in the Hindi film industry as well. While she chose not to name anyone, adding that their identities would surprise many if revealed.
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