Angrezi Medium actress Radhika Madan was told 'she needed surgery to be in a particular shape and size'

Radhika Madan was first seen in the TV show Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi and later made her Bollywood debut with Vishal Bhardwaj's Pataakha.

Pic Courtesy: Instagram

New Delhi: Television actress turned Bollywood star Radhika Madan recently opened up on her ordeal after she began auditioning for movie roles. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Radhika shared her experiences. 

Radhika Madan opened up on her struggles saying: "As a kid, I was happy in my own world doing my own thing; I was a queen. I was really mischievous & would sometimes even puncture tyres for fun! Growing up, I had a unibrow & hardly got attention from boys, but I didn’t care; I felt I was pretty. ⠀

And whenever anyone asked, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’ I’d say, ‘Shaadi’! I loved the taamjham! But I became passionate about dancing & dreamt of going to Broadway. My parents were supportive. ⠀

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At 17, I auditioned for a TV show & within 3 days I was in Bombay, shooting. But it was tough. I barely got time to sleep, which led to me gaining a few kilos. ⠀

Then, I heard rumours about me getting replaced & that pushed me to explore my limits. So I began working out & lost myself to my character. And I realised, this is my high…this is what I want to do! ⠀
I got more TV offers, but I told myself, ‘You’re only 19, if you choose comfort, you’ll get stuck.’ So, I quit TV to do films. I began auditioning, but I faced rejections. ⠀

I was told I needed to have a particular shape & size, & that I needed surgery. But mujhe toh main bahut sahi lagti hun. Who are these people to tell me I’m not pretty? ⠀

But for the next 1.5 years I didn’t get work. It's easy to doubt yourself at such a Time, but I knew the journey is more important than the destination. So I made an effort to enjoy my auditions! Soon, I signed my first film as other projects followed. ⠀

I remember I’d gained 12 kgs for a role to look older, & I auditioned for a 17-year-old character, both in a month! But I had only one motto–just have fun! That audition turned out to be one of my best & I got the part! ⠀

I think the key is to love yourself fiercely because what you see in yourself is what others see in you. If I’d been insecure, people would’ve fed on that fear. So whether it’s as a kid who didn't care about her unibrow or an adult who thinks her height is cute, I celebrated my imperfections. I know I don't have to fit someone else’s definition of perfection–I’m imperfectly perfect & I love it!”⠀

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On the work front, Radhika was first seen in the TV show Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi and later made her Bollywood debut with Vishal Bhardwaj's Pataakha.

She has worked in films like Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, Angrezi Medium. Recently, she was seen in Vasan Bala's Spotlight from Netflix anthology Ray.