Legend Was Problematic, But What About Akka?

Radhika Apte‘s recent comments about her experience in Telugu cinema have triggered criticism, but her own screen choices are now adding another layer to the debate. During a recent interview, the actress recalled a Telugu film in which she had to marry her maternal uncle, romance a much older actor and eventually die halfway through the story. Though she did not name the film, the clues clearly point towards Balakrishna’s Legend.

Radhika described the experience as uncomfortable and called the film’s setting patriarchal. However, social media users have now brought up her role in the recently released Netflix series Akka. In one scene, a younger man points out that their family tree makes him her nephew. Radhika’s character responds, “Does it bother you?”, turning the exchange into a provocative moment.

This contrast has prompted questions about whether the actress applies the same standards when discussing uncomfortable relationship dynamics across projects. If she found the storyline in Legend problematic, viewers are asking why similar provocative material in another project is not part of the same conversation.

Of course, portraying a fictional character does not mean an actor endorses its actions. But Radhika’s comments have opened up a debate about how she looks back at one role while taking on very different material in another. The discussion is no longer limited to her experience in Telugu cinema; it has also become a question of consistency.