Radhika Apte breaks silence on using Yashica Dutt’s life or work in Made In Heaven 2: We are all on the same side

Radhika Apte opens up about the controversy around her Made In Heaven 2 episode. Director Neeraj Ghaywan denied using Yashica Dutt’s life or work in the series.

Director Neeraj Ghaywan’s episode from Made in Heaven 2 touching upon the issue of casteism, has been a topic of discussion ever since it dropped. Soon after, Dalit author Yashica Dutt slammed the makers claiming that they showed “a version of my life on screen without permission or credit”. Now, actor Radhika Apte, who plays the Dalit woman Pallavi Menke onscreen, has broken her silence, saying the conflict can’t take away the spotlight from the issue they tried to highlight.

The Made in Heaven episode featuring Radhika Apte was directed by Neeraj Ghaywan

“I strongly feel that no matter what both the parties are talking about and feeling, I know for a fact that neither of them [makers of the show and the author] want the good effects or the good consequences of this episode to be diminished even for a minute,” says Apte.

The 37-year-old also stresses that one should look at the broader picture and what’s the takeaway from the show. “They both are on the same side when it comes to championing the cause and saying that it is a great thing that an episode about this issue has come on mainstream platform, and it shouldn’t be cancelled or should be banned. It should be only looked at positively. We are all on the same side in the end.”

The episode in question features Apte as a Dalit author, who embraces her identity and stands up for her community, with a page on the history of the issue where she discusses her grandmother’s job as a cleaner. After the author claimed that she didn’t get due credit, the makers dismissed the allegations last week with a statement that read: “We categorically deny any claim that the author’s life or work was appropriated by us.”

Stating that an actor’s job is to follow the vision of the creator and the script they’ve written. “So, I let the character that they’ve envisioned, come alive on screen. Beyond this, it is not right for me to comment any further on the actual controversy or the actual conflict that they are facing,” states the Sacred Games and Ghoul actor.

Despite the episode hitting a roadblock, Apte reveals she has got overwhelming response from people, making her realise how little she knows about the issue.

“The magnitude of it when people just keep telling you how important they felt for it to be presented on a mainstream platform, makes you feel humbled. At the same time, you also feel quite small because however much I tried, I have realised that I know so little about their despair,” admits the actor, who was last seen in web film Mrs Undercover.

With the conversation channel opening about important topics, the actor hopes it grows further with more stories making their way on screen.

“There is no doubt that several people are already doing their part, but I do feel that in our country, especially where Bollywood and cricket are the two most popular mediums, we need to have more of representation so that it can have a large impact,” she ends.