Radhika Apte slams trolls criticising Alia Bhatt's physique in Alpha, calls out double standards for female actors in action roles

As she promotes the crime thriller Akka with Keerthy Suresh, Radhika Apte defended Alia Bhatt against criticism of her physique in Alpha.

Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt's latest release, Alpha, faced criticism and eventually failed at the box office. The actor was seen in an action-packed avatar in the film. However, many viewers criticised her for lacking the physicality required for an action role. In a recent interview with India Today, Radhika Apte questioned why female actors are scrutinised for their physique when taking on action roles, while their male counterparts rarely face the same judgement.

Radhika Apte slams trolls criticising Alia Bhatt's action sequences in Alpha.

Radhika Apte defends Alia Bhatt

Radhika and Keerthy Suresh are set to star in the crime thriller series Akka. When asked about the audience's hesitation towards female actors leading crime dramas, the two actors said they believed things were changing, citing examples such as Samantha Ruth Prabhu's performance in The Family Man and Kalyani Priyadarshan's role in Lokah. When they were told that Alia had been trolled for not fitting the part of an action hero in Alpha, Radhika hit back at the trolls, saying, "Your actors who are doing action have massive paunches and all, and Alia is bloody fit. I mean, please."

Further explaining why these double standards exist, Radhika said, "I think it's because most households and a large part of our country are quite traditional. You want women to be a certain way, dress a certain way, behave a certain way, and get married at a certain age. That still exists. Very few people are comfortable with the freedom that their daughters are seeking, or rather, rightfully claiming. I think that also reflects in the kind of content people watch. That's my guess."

Alia faced criticism for her role in Alpha, with social media users questioning her casting as an 18-year-old character despite being in her 30s. Her action avatar subsequently attracted criticism over her physique. The film, directed by Shiv Rawail, also faced criticism for its storyline and dialogues. Featuring Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Sharvari in key roles alongside Alia, the film collected only ₹99 crore worldwide at the box office.

About Radhika Apte and Keerthy Suresh's Akka

Helmed by Dharmaraj Shetty, Akka stars Keerthy Suresh, Radhika, Tanvi Azmi, B. Jayashree, Nivedita Bhargava, Anshumaan Pushkar, Poornima Indrajith, Vishak Nair, Mahesh Manjrekar, Monika Pawar and others in key roles. The synopsis of the show on Netflix reads, "In a kingdom ruled by women, matriarch Bhavani faces her biggest threat in Rudra, a ruthless rebel eyeing her land and legacy." The show is set to release on Netflix on October 30.