Interview: RADHIKA APTE

Q. 2009 (Antaheen), 2013 (Rupkatha Noy) and now 2014 for ‘Pendulum – A Tale of Time’; how do you feel in Kolkata? How much it differs with time?

Radhika: I always like the city. And for shooting I stayed here for over 2 months. It is a great experience to be in Kolkata.

Q. Say something about your character in your upcoming flick ‘Pendulum – A Tale of Time’.

Radhika: Well, the film is about time and space. There is an accident and all the characters and the story also revolves around it. I am an ad-agency girl named Nandini; having a relationship with Kolkata student of Bengali. It is great playing the character. I have lots of fun portraying the character.

Q. In ‘Antaheen’ you play a Journalist; in ‘Rupkatha Noy’ you played an IT Engineer and this time you are an Ad-Agency personnel. Al l the characters have a corporate touch. Is it intentional or the roles came to you are all like that?

Radhika: Nah. It’s not pre-planned or intentional that I will do a corporate woman character in all of my films. I also have played role of simple village girl or like that in many of my theatre project and also in south Indian movies.

Q. Your first Bengali film got the ‘National Award’ but next film does not run well in houses, are you feeling any pressure this time?

Radhika: I never feel the pressure. When the film releasing as Pendulum is due to release on 7^th March, I am always very relaxed. Because what my part is when I am doing the film and when the film is done, my part is over. And how people like it; is my concern no doubt and I feel worried about that. When I was doing the film that was a pressure point for me but now it is producer’s head-ache... (Laugh out loud). I am just joking.

Q. So it too was never in your mind that you are working with a debutante director?

Radhika: Actually there is a pressure because Soukarya is the new director and this is his first film. So basically it’s very important that people likes it or refuse it. It is new effort and new experiment also. For all of us it is very important film and I hope people will take it openly. But honestly, it is not a matter of worry because if the person is working well then it’s all right. Is it really matters then?

Q. How much you like the script?

Radhika: The script I liked really; but I haven’t seen the film yet.

Q. You have a theatre stage background and there are buzz that the actors from the theatre background are technically and tactically sound than others. Does that theatre mindset help you to some extent to choose roles?

Radhika: No, it doesn’t matter I think. There are so many actors who are not stage actors but they are excellent actors. Actually its different media, of-course both are acting but one help the other sometime and sometimes one is a problem for other.

Q. You have worked with Anirudhha Roy Chowdhury and Atanu Ghosh earlier and this time with debutante Soukarya Ghoshal. Do you have some other Bengali projects in pipeline?

Radhika: No, I am not doing any Bengali films now. I mean I haven’t chosen one yet.

Q. But when you will decide to do your next is it will be parallel film again or it may be a commercial too?

Radhika: There is no hard and fast rule. If I got some interesting script then what’s the problem to do a commercial film?

Q. Your previous bollywood films, I mean ‘Shor In The City’ and ‘Rakth Charitra’ are well acclaimed and your acting in Bengali ‘Rupkatha Noy’ also have been acclaimed by the critics. So, do you always keep it in mind when you sign a film that, you have set up a genre of yourself?

Radhika: No. I, actually treat any script as fresh script and it the script convince me then I sign it otherwise I will not.

Q. Your father is a doctor. Had you ever face any problem in your family with your profession?

Radhika: Actually, my family is very liberal family and they respect each other’s decision.

Q. You are a trained dancer too. Is this is in your to-do list to perform in dance shows or doing some sort of dance programmes?

Radhika: I do my own work. I do my practice and I do my dance for myself more than programmes.

Q. How much Radhika Apte’s expectation with ‘Pendulum - A Tale of Time’?

Radhika: I think it will be received very well because it is very fresh idea and also very intriguing and different from others. I think people will like the film.