Radhika Apte has revealed that Zeenat Aman's iconic hairstyles and on-screen looks helped shape her appearance in the upcoming period crime thriller Akka. The actor, who plays Rudra in the series, also spoke about why she finds morally complex characters more interesting to play.
In an interview with PTI, Radhika Apte explained that her styling in the series drew from Zeenat Aman's work, particularly her hair and fringe. Since Akka is set in a fictional world inspired by the 1970s, the team also used clothing and hair references that suited the period. Radhika's character, Rudra, is from Bombay, which made some of Zeenat's on-screen roles relevant to the look they wanted to create.
"When I was doing costume and hair, I was looking at Zeenat Aman because of her hair, her fringe and all that. It is a character reference; it was just costume and hair," Radhika shared.
"The clothing references that they had, and the wig I'm wearing and all that, it sort of leaned into that time (referring to the 70s period). And she's (her character) also from Bombay, so just some of the references were like some of her roles on-screen," she added.
For Radhika Apte, one of the biggest attractions of Akka was its female-led gangster world, where power, family, loyalty, revenge and legacy drive the story. Written and directed by Dharmaraj Shetty, the series follows Bhavani, played by Keerthy Suresh, who rules this fictional world. Radhika Apte's Rudra is her rival, a rebel who wants Bhavani's land and legacy.
The actor said she was drawn to the detailed world Dharmaraj Shetty had created. While the story is fictional, the research and effort behind its setting helped make it feel believable. She also liked that the show does not soften its gangster story simply because women are at its centre.
Radhika Apte believes the characters' complicated motivations make them more engaging than people who are simply good. Both Bhavani and Rudra have their own goals, and their decisions are shaped by what they want to protect or achieve.
"It's far more interesting than playing a very nice person. The fun part about this show is that Bhavani (Suresh) is a protagonist and she's going to do whatever it takes to protect her legacy. So, that doesn't make her goody- goody at all. And Rudra is also somebody who has her own mission," she said.
Produced by YRF Entertainment, Akka is set to premiere on Netflix on October 30.
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