Over-friendly leading men, beware of trying your tricks with Radhika Apte. Else, be prepared for one tight slap!!
The PadMan heroine, who received huge praise for her role as Gayatri by both critics and audiences, is a spitfire in real life. During a recent talk show, BFFs with Vogue, she revealed an unsavoury experience to host Neha Dhupia, encountered on the sets of a Tamil film she was working on.
Apparently, it was her first day on the set and the hero, a certain famous South Indian star, decided to break the ice a little too warmly. He actually started to tickle her feet! An aghast Radhika couldn’t believe her eyes. It was the very first time they were meeting and she was taken aback by his over-familiarity. Without further thought, she put the brakes on his unpleasant act immediately. In short, she “instinctively slapped him”!
Not one to take any crap quietly, she also gave it back recently when she faced the wrath of trolls. She had posted a picture of herself on the beach, enjoying the sunset with a friend. The fact that she was wearing a bikini while relaxing on the sands, brought out the moral police in certain followers. They actually mocked her for wearing a two-piece.
Unfazed, Radhika replied, “I didn’t even know I was being trolled till someone told me. It’s ridiculous! Do people expect me to wear a sari on a beach?” Touche, girl!
Radhika has also come out in support of actresses speaking up against sexual harassment. In an interview, she had said, “…The reason why people don't speak up is because they know their careers will get ruined and the dream that they had for so long. But we need to speak up otherwise it is not going to stop. We also just not need to speak, but also say NO and we need to support the people who speak up. It is a slow process but I hope people find the courage and it is our responsibility to help them find the courage.”
Quizzed about whether she knew of anyone in the industry who had gone through sexual harassment or if she had personally faced any such thing, she said, "I have never had a first-hand experience so bad. The little bit that I have gone through I have always spoken about it. I have spoken about it then and there also. I have never hidden anything. I would never disclose other people's stories, unfortunately.”
