Bhubaneswar: Bollywood actress Radhika Apte turned a year wiser on Tuesday. She has carved a niche for herself with her unique style and bold roles in films and web series.
However, it was not until 2015 that the versatile actress, who made a foray into the entertainment industry in 2005 and was largely associated with unconventional films, did a full-fledged song and dance number. It was Nila Madhab Panda’s Kaun Kitne Paani Mein, where she played an Odia rural girl who helps villagers in matters of water conservation after studying agriculture in a city.
Odisha Bytes caught up with the director to know more about the actor and her connection with Odisha.
Panda said that Radhika was the perfect cast for an Odia girl. “She had that look and attitude. Despite being a Maharashtrian, she could speak Odia convincingly,” he said.
The director said that she spent a day in a village for the shoot. “She had the most amazing time shooting in Odisha,” he said.
The actor had earlier told media that the director had helped her prepare for the role by telling her more about the culture.
Through this movie, which was a satirical take on water scarcity and the barriers of caste and class, Panda had presented the culture of Odisha- through Rangabati song, Sambalpuri dance and Odia festivities.
The Sambalpuri cult song Rangabati featured the romantic pair of the film, Kunal Kapoor and Radhika Apte, along with Odissi dancer Saswat Joshi, who choreographed it, and actor Prakruti Mishra.
“The dance was tough. It was very different. The dancers were Sambalpuri and I had to get the moves right,” Radhika had told the media. And she did impress with her grace and aplomb.
The song was shot near a palace in Kendrapada, said Panda.
He said that Radhika loved the Sambalpuri and traditional jewellery that she wore for the song. “She wanted to keep them,” he said.
Panda also remembers how she enjoyed the chhena poda he had got for her. “She also travelled to Puri for the darshan of the sibling deities. I think she had visited the Pilgrim Town as a child earlier,” he said.
While in Bhubaneswar to promote the film in 2015, Radhika had told media that she had once been to Jagannath Temple but was too young to remember anything. “Today I feel so blessed and happy that I will be going to see the Lords and seek their blessings. The Odisha trip is truly a memorable experience for me,” she said.
