‘You pay them peanuts’: Radhika Apte calls out treatment of domestic workers in India
Source Entity
The Indian Express
Actor Radhika Apte has publicly criticized the exploitative work culture in India's film industry and the societal mistreatment of domestic workers. Additionally, she recently shared her discomfort regarding a past role in a Telugu film that required her to portray a marriage to an older actor playing her uncle.
Radhika Apte Challenges Industry Standards and Societal Norms
Actor Radhika Apte, currently promoting her upcoming project Akka alongside co-star Keerthy Suresh, has sparked a significant conversation regarding the systemic issues prevalent within the Indian film industry and broader society. Her recent remarks highlight a growing trend of public figures using their platform to critique established work cultures that often prioritize professional output over the basic human needs of crew members and staff.
The Crisis of Work-Life Balance
During a candid conversation with Fever FM, Apte addressed the grueling, often unsustainable work hours that define the Indian film industry. She emphasized that the industry frequently operates under the assumption that labor should supersede personal life, a culture that affects both high-profile actors and the essential crew members behind the camera. Apte argues that this disregard for personal time is a systemic failure, suggesting that the industry must evolve to recognize that employees are individuals with families and responsibilities outside of their professional commitments.
Addressing Deep-Rooted Hierarchies
Beyond the studio lights, Apte extended her critique to the treatment of domestic workers, drivers, and nannies in India. She identified this as a symptom of a "deep-rooted sense of hierarchy" that permeates Indian society. By calling out the inadequate compensation—famously noting that people often "pay them peanuts"—Apte is highlighting a class disparity that remains largely unchallenged in daily life. Her comments serve as a call for a fundamental shift in how the nation views the labor and dignity of those who support the domestic and professional infrastructure of the middle and upper classes.
Reflections on Artistic Challenges
In a separate interview while promoting Akka, Apte reflected on the professional challenges she has faced, specifically regarding a past Telugu film. Appearing alongside Keerthy Suresh, she expressed strong personal discomfort with a role that required her to portray a marriage to her character's maternal uncle, played by a significantly older actor. She admitted, "Everything about it, I hated," underscoring the friction that can occur when cultural tropes in regional cinema clash with an actor's personal values or modern sensibilities.
Cultural Tropes vs. Personal Agency
The discussion regarding her past film role highlights the complexities of navigating regional film industries where specific cultural narratives—such as the portrayal of traditional marriage dynamics—may be common but can feel alienating or regressive to performers. The reaction from her co-star, Keerthy Suresh, who noted that such plotlines are historically familiar in Tamil and Telugu cinema, contextualizes the incident as a collision between traditional storytelling and the evolving perspectives of contemporary actors.
A Future of Accountability
As Radhika Apte continues her career, her willingness to speak openly about both industry exploitation and the discomfort of specific character portrayals suggests a shift toward greater individual agency. By linking the mistreatment of domestic staff to the broader work culture of the film industry, Apte is drawing a line between professional ethics and societal respect. Her advocacy suggests that the future of Indian entertainment may increasingly be defined by a demand for better working conditions and a more critical eye toward the narratives that actors are expected to uphold.
Multiple Citing Sources