Actor Radhikka Madan, who began her career in television, recently shared insights about her early struggles and passion for acting. In a conversation on Farah Khan’s vlog, Radhikka recalled how she once worked for 56 hours without a break during her television days. She also spoke about how her love for the camera began unexpectedly.
From Dance Dreams to the Small Screen
Radhikka revealed that she initially wanted to become a professional dancer and bring tap dancing to India. But things took a different turn when she auditioned for her first television show Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi. She said, “The moment the camera was switched on, I felt very safe. I never felt that safe in my life. I wanted to be a professional dancer. The way I used to feel on the stage, you can’t see anyone else, I felt the same in front of the camera. I thought of course mujhe nahi lenge, but within three days I got a call for a look test and within 2 days, I was shooting for my first show."
She also mentioned that she had no formal acting training and learnt everything on the sets.
Long Hours and No Breaks in TV Industry
Farah Khan, impressed by Radhikka’s story, asked if she ever had an 8-hour shift during those days. Radhikka quickly replied, "56 hours non-stop or 48 hours non-stop."
To this, Farah said, "Aise tapke hi toh sona banta hai," which means such intense experiences help refine talent, just like gold is purified through fire.
Ongoing Debate About Work-Life Balance
Farah’s question came at a time when Bollywood is debating long working hours and work-life balance. Recently, actor Deepika Padukone reportedly walked out of Spirit, a film by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, after demanding an 8-hour workday, a share in the film’s profits, and refusing to deliver lines in Telugu. These demands reportedly didn’t go down well with the director, sparking wider industry discussion.
What’s Next for Farah and Radhikka
Farah Khan has stayed away from directing films for a while. Her last film was Happy New Year (2014), which starred Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Boman Irani, Sonu Sood, and Abhishek Bachchan. The movie was a commercial success, making ₹397 crore worldwide. Recently, she choreographed a dance number in Salman Khan’s film Sikandar, which also features Rashmika Mandanna.
Radhikka is now working on her upcoming film Subedaar, directed by Suresh Triveni. The film stars Anil Kapoor in the lead role. More details about the cast and release date are still awaited.