I audition for projects all the time: Radhika Apte

Radhika Apte’s last release Pad Man, which spoke about female hygiene as an issue, was a commercial blockbuster. In fact, the film also sparked off a series of initiatives in small towns and rural areas. However, the actor says that her criterion for doing a film is not based solely on whether it addresses a social issue or not.

“Pad Man wasn’t made because we wanted to be social activists. It was made because Twinkle (Khanna, producer of the film and wife of its lead actor Akshay Kumar) met this incredible man (Arunachalam Muruganantham) and realised that his story needs to be told because it was such an inspiring story. Filmmaking is about storytelling. What is happening in Bollywood now is that different subjects are being explored and people are ready to break the usual formula of film-making. It’s not like everyone is becoming a social activist. They are just trying to tell different stories,” she says.

One of her upcoming projects is a Hollywood film co-starring Castle actor Stana Katic and Sarah Megan Thomas. She plays a British spy in the World War II espionage drama. Her character is based on Noor Inayat Khan, a pacifist of Indian descent, who was the first female wireless operator. Talking about the project, she says, “I am reading a lot on her as there are books written on her and some have been written by her as well. I am also working a little bit on my language. It’s a very important part and a lot of responsibility. It’s based on a unique, real woman. I am quite excited,” she says.

While a lot of actors don’t often reveal that they audition for Hollywood projects, Radhika is honest about it. “I don’t think people (Indian actors) are apprehensive. I audition all the time. Many of my friends, too, give auditions,” she says.

What is happening in Bollywood now is that different subjects are being explored and people are ready to break the usual formula of filmmaking. RADHIKA APTE, ACTOR