Radhika Apte questions casting of fair-skinned outsiders in South films

Radhika Apte says she believes South Indian films favoured fair-skinned North Indian actresses over local performers.

She said women from the South are talented and know the languages, and should be cast in films made there.

Apte has appeared in several South Indian films, including Kabali, but has kept away from the industry in recent years.

She said she did not want to support casting based on lighter skin or hiring actors who rely on dubbing because they cannot speak the language.

She also said language barriers made it hard for her to perform naturally in roles across different film industries.

Her comments raise questions about representation and language in casting for South Indian cinema.

Apte is promoting Akka, a Netflix drama set in a fictional South Indian kingdom, which is due to premiere on October 30, 2026.