Being an actor is exciting, and most in the profession would say that they wouldn’t trade it for any other job in the world. However, it comes with its own set of pitfalls and pain points. Six months into 2024, actress Radhikka Madan admits she is regaining the fire and the energy that she lost by being a workaholic. The actress did back-to-back seven projects in the last couple of years, and while on the seventh project, she realised, “I just didn’t have anything left in me. I was emotionally so drained.” Radhikka talks to us about battling insecurities, her safe zone in life and being confident in her own skin.

Talking about how some roles leave a deep impact, Radhikka explains, “Some characters were dark, and they did take a lot out of me. And I didn’t realize it at that point because I felt like I was a superwoman. But the moment the project ended, I realized that there were a lot of residual feelings about the character that I had played. The pain of some characters stayed with me.”

The actress who was seen in the web series Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo last year, talks about her safe zone in life. She shares, “I wouldn’t lie, there are days where you feel insecure. Not with respect to what others are getting, but it’s just about yourself. It has a lot to do with self-worth. Whenever those feelings pop up, I go back to my safe zone which is Delhi, where I have my family and my friends, and then I feel fine. I’ve realized that the more I stay in Mumbai, the more I’m surrounded by film industry talks, and somewhere, I start seeing life through that lens. And life is way more than just that. Whenever my confidence starts to waver, there’s a sign inside me that says…Go back to your roots, neutralize yourself and come back.”

The Angrezi Medium actress is glad that she’s at a point in her career where she doesn’t have to stress over bagging her next film. The actress who is ten films old, says, “Earlier, I felt insecure about whether I would get work, but not anymore. Now, I have the privilege of focusing on myself and my mental and physical health. Thankfully, I’m not in the position where I have to worry – will I get a job if I take so many breaks?”

There’s always been a lot of talk around the industry’s obsession with the idea of perfect beauty and the kind of pressure it puts on actors. Addressing that Radhikka says, “A lot of things are said to you about your face and your body. If you’re okay about it and you believe that it will help your confidence, then go for it (cosmetic enhancements). Why not? It’s your personal choice. I was told that I should get something done on my face. I didn’t agree. I didn’t want to get anything done because then I would keep chasing perfection. And life is not perfect. And would bother me if I didn’t find that perfection. Even your art is not perfect.”