Terms of endearment

Radhika Apte, who is known for the life-like portrayals of her on-screen characters, tells Rupsha Sen that she's become good at detaching herself from them

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Radhika Apte was once called the poster girl of OTT. She was seen in almost every project and most of her choices were critically acclaimed. So much so that she was being touted as a lucky charm. Reportedly, people thought casting her guaranteed a favourable response from the audience because she had tremendous goodwill with them. Tell her that and she beams. But she says any product, be it a film or a series, is a product of teamwork and a single individual can't guarantee its success. She refuses to be drawn in the debate, adding that she's glad she got a chance to work with some of the best talent in some of the best works of fiction. The actor, who is known for her forthright ways, made headlines recently because her character, a Dalit, in the hit series Made In Heaven stands up for herself and insists on following Buddhist rituals during her wedding. The actor says it's all been a learning experience. Excerpts from a chat with the talent powerhouse.

YOUR CHARACTER IN MADE IN HEAVEN WAS THE FIRST TIME WE SAW A DALIT WEDDING ON TV. WHAT WAS YOUR REFERENCE POINT WHILE PREPARING FOR THAT?

I really didn’t have a reference point. I mean, director Neeraj Ghaywan knows everything about this life. He’s seen and lived such a life. As a result, my reference points were unnecessary. So I’d basically talk to him and understand how his life was, what his struggles were like, and what fears did he have. How he overcame the obstacles in his life and moved on. What are the things that he still struggles with? The wedding, per say, was completely a new thing for me as well. I’d never seen a Buddhist wedding and didn’t know anything about it.