Radhika Apte: Female‑led films falter as she isn’t an Alia Bhatt or Deepika Padukone

Radhika Apte told WION that films with female protagonists frequently face box‑office challenges in India. She said the industry still measures success by the drawing power of a few marquee names, and her own name does not command the same audience pull as Alia Bhatt or Deepika Padukone.

The actress highlighted that producers often hesitate to back women‑centric projects because they fear lower returns, even when the content is strong. Apte emphasized that the perception of risk, rather than actual audience demand, drives the reluctance.

Apte’s remarks come amid ongoing debates about gender representation in Bollywood, with several recent female‑led releases achieving critical acclaim but modest commercial performance. She urged stakeholders to reassess marketing strategies and give diverse female stories a fair chance at the screens.