Radhika Apte recently reflected on how the depiction of women in old Bollywood romantic films influenced her far more deeply than she realised while growing up. The actress shared that the beauty standards and on-screen behaviour she witnessed as a young viewer directly shaped many of her insecurities during her college years. According to Apte, artists and public figures cannot distance themselves from the social impact their work creates.

Radhika Apte opens up about the lasting impact of Bollywood’s romantic tropes on women: “It affected me a lot

In an exclusive conversation with Zoom, the Saali Mohabbat actress explained that cinema, alongside cricket, holds extraordinary power in India. This influence, she said, places a strong sense of responsibility on anyone in the public eye. “I feel that in this country, whether you like it or not, cricket and cinema are two most famous things, right? That’s their one thing of inspiration, that’s what they go for. So whether you like it or not, you have a lot of influence. Whether you’re a small actor like me or a huge star, it doesn’t matter. You have influence, and there comes a responsibility with it. You can’t just keep talking. People’s lives are sometimes shaped by tiny things you say, or you don’t say, because mine was. I went through a lot of ups and downs because of the actors and actresses I admired, and I thought I was really an example of that,” said the actress.

She further opened up about internalising unrealistic beauty standards and problematic romantic narratives. “I spent my entire college time thinking that I was not pretty and my body wasn’t correct enough and all those things because I didn’t fit into a lot of things… The whole trend of romantic films where saying no to boys was cool and then being chased was cool and all of that, all of that stuff and how the women were treated and how they were it affected me a lot and I was a part of that. And then, obviously luckily, you question everything and you realise it’s all rubbish, but it does have a huge effect. So I think there’s some responsibility you have and you cannot separate yourself from politics.”

Apte concluded by clarifying that politics is not limited to elections or parties, but also encompasses daily life, societal structures, and the responsibility individuals carry within them.

Also Read : EXCLUSIVE: “Saali Mohabbat is a ‘how-dunnit’, not a whodunnit,” says Radhika Apte; decodes emotional core of Tisca Chopra directorial

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