Radhika Apte: I intend to write, direct

Radhika Apte

As doors of movie sets remained shut during the pandemic, Radhika Apte says she opened up to her purpose of being an actor. "I didn't come here to be a star. I came here because I really liked to perform," she says, confessing to becoming a victim of the rat's race, and losing sight of her purpose over her career spanning 15 years.

"Every freelance industry is a vulnerable place. You get insecure and agree to do work because sitting idle becomes difficult. The thought of not working is scary. But, the pandemic was an eye-opener," says Apte, who now wishes to give her nod to projects that genuinely excite her.

When she encounters dry spells, she says she will turn to her new-found passion - writing. The actor has been studying scriptwriting for three years, and plans to write and direct projects in the future. "Studying scriptwriting is making me extremely happy. I am not very good at it yet. I have been learning from a few script editors and writers because I want to make something. I want to write and direct a project," she says, adding that her new endeavour shouldn't be perceived as a career transition. "I don't want to give up acting. It is my first love."

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A dearth of offers that were worthy of her attention prompted her move. "This industry does stereotype people. I was [seen as an actor who could only play] a village girl for a long time, after Rakta Charitra and Shor in the City. Nobody would cast me in an urban role. Now, I am told that I have become too urban to be considered for certain roles. After Badlapur, I started getting offers for thrillers alone."

Comedy, she says, is a genre that excites her, but her tendency to "speak my mind" has bracketed her as a "serious person". "Actually, I am not someone who talks seriously. I like to have fun, and am not the kind of person that people think I am. I have explored comedy in theatre, but have never been offered a comic film."

As someone who refuses to distance her personal life from her professional one, she perceives her film offerings as opportunities to grow as an individual as well, instead of merely considering them for financial gains. "I am young. These are my best years, so, I want to avail every chance to learn."

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