Actor Radhika Apte has spoken about the challenges she faced while working in the South Indian film industry, describing some of her experiences as difficult and emotionally overwhelming. The actor said she often felt isolated on film sets, where most of the crew members were men and conversations took place in languages she could not understand. 

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In an exclusive interaction with IANS while promoting her latest release ‘Akka’, which also stars Keerthy Suresh, Radhika reflected on her earlier work across South Indian cinema. While she acknowledged having positive experiences on certain projects, she said a few others left her feeling uncomfortable and vulnerable.

Radhika Apte recalls difficult experiences on South film sets

Radhika revealed that she has not worked extensively in South Indian films for some time. Looking back at the projects she was part of, she said her experiences were mixed, with some productions proving particularly challenging. She also pointed out that difficult working environments were not limited to regional cinema, as she had faced similar situations while working on certain Bollywood projects.

"I haven't worked in South for a while now. There was a period when I did a lot of South Indian films. My experience with the few films I did, not all of them were very good. But there were a few that were quite difficult. But then I have also done some films in Bollywood which were quite traumatizing. Over the period of time I became more confident. I could put down my boundaries better, and I could stand up for myself."

The actor added that her vulnerability at the time made it harder for her to communicate her requirements or speak up when something did not feel right.

‘I used to be completely on my own’: Radhika on feeling isolated

Radhika further explained how working away from familiar surroundings made the experience more challenging. Unlike projects in her home industry, where she could communicate comfortably and seek help from people she knew, she often found herself without a support system on South Indian film sets.

She recalled that the absence of proper contracts and scripts, combined with the language barrier and a predominantly male working environment, made her feel particularly vulnerable.

"And there's no contract, there is no script. So it's quite; it can throw you off. I didn't know anybody. If it were my home, it's very different. So when I start from Marathi, even if it's the same thing, it doesn't matter because I speak the language. If I need anything, I can go home. I know I have friends, but there I used to be completely on my own, no agent, not a single friend, in the middle of nowhere, mostly men on set. They are speaking in a language I don't understand. So it was a lot for me to take."

She said her ability to establish boundaries and stand up for herself improved over the years as she gained more confidence through her professional experiences.

Radhika Apte's work in South Indian cinema

Radhika has been part of several projects across the Hindi and South Indian film industries. Her regional filmography includes Ram Gopal Varma's ‘Rakta Charitra’ (2010), ‘Dhoni’ (2012), ‘Endukante... Premanta!’ (2012), ‘Legend’ (2014), ‘Lion’ (2015) and Malayalam film ‘Haram’ (2015).