People call Radhika Apte the poster child of OTT. We’ve seen so much of her on OTT that we’ve kind of forgotten that she started life as an actor in a film called Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! (2005), where she shared screen space with Shahid Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Amrita Rao. In between she segued towards regional cinema, making waves with her roles in Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Bengali, and English-language films. She’s someone who loves her craft and is as gung-ho about doing an art house short film, as she’s about doing a multi-starrer. The multi-talented actress has been married to British musician Benedict Taylor and shuttles between London and Mumbai with the ease of a Mumbai-Pune Deccan Queen commuter. Excerpts from a candid interview with the powerhouse performer who likes to say it like it is…
What made you say yes to Vikram Veda, considering it was touted as a Saif vs Hrithik actioner?

For me, it’s Pushkar and Gayathri’s film; it’s not a Saif or a Hrithik film. I met the directors and I saw the original film as well. They’re different from the people I’ve met so far. First of all, apart from their creative things, I just don’t know how they work together so well. They’re married and they do absolutely everything together, which in itself is quite fascinating. They’re good filmmakers. I appreciate their work. So for me, small or large is not important. Value is important for what I do. I recall having about six or seven days of proper shooting time for the few scenes I had. The way I’d approach the scenes and the way they wanted me to approach the scenes were different. There’s always so much to learn. They wanted things done subtly and unassumingly, which was interesting for me. Saif and I have worked together on two other projects before this. But we never really had a lot of screen time or meaty scenes. Here we had a bit more to do together. I like him as an actor.

Do you think working with a diverse range of directors has helped you explore more layers as an actor?

At the end of the day, we are all the same. We are capable of doing things that we think we are not capable of. To flesh out the character properly, make it real, you need not just the director but also the writer. Scripts are so important. Also, the co-actors.To bring a character to life, you need a lot of elements, and it takes a team effort. It depends on what everyone is bringing in and adding to your performance. I have been lucky to have worked with some good directors. And their insights have always helped.They’ve always tried to take me out of my comfort zone and challenge me with different things.

How meticulous are you when it comes to preparing for your roles?

It depends on the project. For example, for Vikram Vedha, I didn’t prepare much because there was a film to watch and the directors had their thoughts. And most things happened on the set. We rehearsed, we improvised and we figured out how to do it on the set. Whereas for Monica, O My Darling we did a couple of hours of rehearsal each day, just me and director Vasan Bala. Because it was a crazy character. Initially, we had discussed that we would have a heavy South Indian accent. So we met a coach and we did that for a day. When I came on set, Vasan told me to throw everything out of the window and say just the English words in the South Indian accent. But for the rest, he wanted proper Hindi. If you take a Phobia or a Parched, there is a lot of preparation. But if you take Andhadhun, there is no preparation. It depends on the roles that you’re playing and what they require.

You got an Emmy nomination for your performance in Lust Stories. How important do you think these validations are for an actor?

It’s never a bad thing to receive a compliment or validation. It was quite a shock to me because I didn’t know they had even submitted it. Some years ago, at Tribeca, I won the Best Actress trophy for the anthology film Madly. When you go there and you meet the other actors, they’re so incredible. It’s great to be appreciated and validated. Having said that, you need to know it’s also a matter of luck. And it’s also a matter of so many other things. So you can’t take it so seriously.
Are you picky with your scripts, or do you just go with your gut feeling?

There are times when I’m picky. There are times when you just have to work. You take whatever you have and go with it. For the last five or six years, I’ve been picky with what I do, especially the last two years after COVID. I’ve been actively saying no to a lot of work in the last two years. I don’t know if it’s a good idea or a bad one. But I’m a bit tired of doing projects that my heart doesn’t feel entirely inspired by. I want to do something that I can’t wait to get up and do, rather than, you know, “Oh my God, I can’t believe I have to go to work tomorrow.” I don’t want to do that anymore.
Do you feel anxious about being extra choosy or not doing enough projects?

There are pangs and waves, right? It comes and goes. There are times when I feel a bit insecure and say, “I live so far away, maybe I need to be here more.” But actually, I like to be away. I like to stay away from it because I think it’s a bubble that is not real. It just feels insecure and quite anxiety driven but it is not real. So I like to be away from it. I do feel anxious sometimes but then who doesn’t? Anyone who does freelance work feels this way. That’s just the nature of freelance work.
How do you juggle your work life and personal life between Mumbai and London? Does your husband critique your work?

I consider the suggestions of a few people. My partner is one of them. He doesn’t necessarily watch everything I do. But I do take his input on many things, including making choices and decisions. There are some people in
the industry whom I do ask for their opinion. And I take any feedback seriously, as long as it’s constructive.
I don’t discard it just because it’s negative. Sometimes, on the surface, criticism, or any feedback can sound a bit jarring. But if you look deeper, there’s always something to take from it.

How refreshing is it to be away from this whole Mumbai frenzy? Do you feel like the celebrity you are in London, just as you would feel in Mumbai?

I don’t feel it in either place, to be honest. I probably get more recognition in London than in Mumbai. Mumbaikars are used to seeing people around. Here I get recognised quite a bit, which I don’t enjoy. I appreciate it no doubt. I like to have my personal space. Mumbai has a much faster pace for me compared to London just because there’s a lot of work, and I quite enjoy that. When I come to Mumbai, it’s always crazy. I’m always restless and there are 1000 things that I do in one day. In London, it’s a bit more routine. I have to clean, cook, do groceries and do other stuff.
How has your experience with your fans been?

Normally, I just say thank you. I’m not into giving selfies. I’m not into all of that only because I think it will become quite a thing. If you are having dinner with your friend and five people come asking for selfies, then that dinner has lost its value. And what usually happens is that if one person takes a selfie, the other people watching may not recognise you and want a selfie too. I don’t take photographs of myself. I find it difficult and struggle with it a lot.
Looking back at your journey, what are the things you’ve enjoyed?

I’ve just been fortunate to meet so many people. I think one thing that the film industry requires is that you travel a lot. On every project, you meet different people. It’s one of the few industries where there’s never a shortage of inspiration, with so many incredibly talented and creative people around. The ideas they come up with, as well as people’s perseverance and passion, always astound you. This field has made me travel a lot, so I’ve seen too many places. You don’t just visit like a tourist; you stay there, you work there, you get to know the locals and you get to experience the place a little bit differently. All these things are a bonus to the actual work that we all enjoy and do. This is my biggest takeaway from the profession. More on: Radhika Apte

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