Radhika Apte described her experience in the Telugu film Legend as patriarchal.
She also said the age gap and action scenes made it especially uncomfortable
Apte also criticised colourism in South Indian film industries.
Radhika Apte Reveals Why She ‘Hated Everything’ About Telugu Film Legend With Nandamuri Balakrishna
Radhika Apte said a Telugu role was the most difficult of her career. She “hated” the part in Legend because it involved marrying her mama and romancing a much older actor
Summary
Radhika Apte has called one Telugu part the hardest she has done. She said she disliked every part of it because the role required her to marry her "mama" and romance an older co-star. She has also spoken often about patriarchy on sets in the South. Though Apte didn't name the film, she was referring to Boyapati Srinu's 2014 film Legend with Nandamuri Balakrishna.
What Radhika Apte said about her difficult Telugu role
In an interview with Zoom, while promoting Akka, Radhika was asked which role tested her most. To which she said, “There was a Telugu film I did where I had to marry my mama (maternal uncle). That was the most challenging role. Everything about it, I hated.”
Keerthy Suresh, who was also in the same interview, looked surprised and laughed. Later, she explained to the host and audience, “It’s a very Tamil, Telugu thing where you marry your uncle.”
She added, “Yeah, but also, like, I had to romance a much older actor. It’s a very patriarchal situation and place. For me, that was the toughest thing. And then I die in the middle of it. He had to throw me (gestures over his shoulder) and then do action. I was like, when am I going to die?”
For the unversed, Apte has worked in only four Telugu films and two of them were with Nandamuri Balakrishna.
The age gap in the film also stirred controversy. Balakrishna was 54 when the film released and Apte was 29.
Apte reunited with Balakrishna in 2015 for Satyadev’s Lion, which was her final Telugu film.
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Radhika criticises industry colourism
Apte has also criticised colourism in South Indian film industries. In a recent interaction with Galatta, she spoke about why North Indian actresses were often cast.
She said, “Initially, I think the reason a lot of North Indian actresses were cast was because they were fair-skinned, and I find it appalling.”
She added, “Unless there is a project where there is a reason why it’s me, very particularly, why I wouldn’t do a South Indian film because I don’t deserve it.”
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