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EXCLUSIVE: ‘I was pleasantly surprised when Shah Rukh Khan replied to my tweet’ – Radhika Apte
2015 has started on a great note for Radhika Apte. Her small stint in Varun Dhawan’s ‘Badlapur’ won rave reviews and since then it has been no looking back for her. She later charmed the audiences with her simple girl next door avatar in ‘Hunter’ and will soon be seen opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui in ‘Manjhi – The Mountain Main’.
Amidst the big releases, Radhika has managed to become the cynosure of all eyes with her Bengali short film ‘Ahalya’ where she plays the role of a seductress! In a quick chat, Radhika talks to us about ‘Ahalya’, working with Sujoy Ghosh, her reaction to the overwhelming response the movie has received and more. Read on.
How did ‘Ahalya’ happen?
It was quite simple. Sujoy Ghosh called me and said that the he wants to make a film for fun and asked me if I would be interested in doing it. I immediately agreed because I love Sujoy’s work. Also, Soumitra Chatterjee was in the movie and I have been a huge fan of his. Though I have worked with him before, I couldn’t miss the opportunity of working with him again. Secondly, the part that he offered me was very interesting. It was Sujoy’s interpretation of the mythological story which I quite liked. And hence I said yes.
People from Bollywood are applauding your work. Amitabh Bachchan also tweeted about it. What has been your reaction to this?
Oh my god. It is simply unbelievable.
Has this film kind of revived the concept of short films which seemed to be dying down?
I think it will. People are appreciating it and they are excited about it. And I think it is high time, in today’s age we watch everything on laptop or mobile, so why not get things home in this manner. This is a transition period. It is easy to make a short film, has a lesser risk and a wider reach. So why not make one?
Apart from ‘Ahalya’, ‘Chokhar Bali’ is also winning applause. How was the experience of working with Anurag Basu?
It was one of the best experiences of shooting. I was always a big fan of Basu but the connect that I had with him in the movie is something very close to my heart. The film taught me a lot. It was a great opportunity to play Binodini’s part because certain stories have certain complicate characters and they are generally ahead of its time. I find such stories very inspiring.
Do we see you collaborate with Sujoy and Anurag anytime soon again?
Let’s see. Hopefully! (laughs)
2015 is turning out to be a great year for you. Are you enjoying this career phase?
I don’t know because two films have released and some more are yet to release. How they will be received is something I don’t really rely on. My job ends when I finish shooting and I go home. As an actor it is important to know that I have done my part with good amount of hardwork. Acting puts you in a place which is full of judgement on whether you have performed well which is of course going to be there and I love criticism. But it is a learning process and it is okay to fail or fare badly. ‘Badlapur’, ‘Hunter’ have succeeded but I have also received criticism for them.
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Recently, a nude clip of yours was doing the rounds. Did the episode affect you?
It was a first time for me and I have lots to say about it because it became out of proportion. But the reason why I have kept silent so far is because the film hasn’t released. I want all of them to first watch that movie. When you will watch the movie, you will realize the context to it. It is the most asexual part of the movie. The moment it releases, I am going to react to it. Hopefully, fingers crossed, the movie shall release soon. I love it and it’s a stunning movie.
You have struggled hard to reach where you are today. How has the journey been like?
I didn’t do that with an intention. I didn’t think my part in ‘Badlapur’ will get attention. It was because of Sriram Raghavan that my meaty part also got noticed. I hit it off really well with Varun Dhawan and that also reflected on screen. ‘Hunter’ was also fun. And I have few releases lined up. But it has been so far so good.
Going with the films you have done, many have stereotyped you in that sensuous avatar. Your thoughts?
Well that’s something which people do all the time. I have done a ‘Shor in the City’, ‘Rakht Charitra’, ‘Chokhar Bali’ and I don’t think there is a need to typecast me. I have tried to do different role in whatever I was offered.
You have ‘Dashrath Manjhi’ up for a release next. Was it difficult to shoot for the movie?
I shot for the movie three years ago and I was in a different mental space. It was lot of fun shooting for the movie. Ketan Mehta is very inspiring as a director and he is passionate about his own work. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is also an extremely dedicated and a committed actor. So it was a great combination and the story was incredible and I have done what I could do.
Lastly, you had a fan girl moment when Shah Rukh replied to your tweet. What was your reaction to it?
I have never met Shah Rukh Khan. In fact I didn’t tag him in my tweet because I didn’t expect a reply from him. But when he did I was pleasantly surprised. I would love to meet him. I have heard he has a huge heart. And he obviously knows about the film because he said ‘I have heard nice things about it’. So I am very happy about it.
Urvi Parikh has a large experience in Bollywood and entertainment field. She holds a BMM in Journalism from the
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