Radhika Apte has defended Alia Bhatt against criticism of her physique in Alpha, questioning whether audiences apply the same expectations to male and female action stars.
In an interview with India Today, Apte challenged the suggestion that Bhatt did not look suited to an action role. Her remarks came during promotional conversations for Akka, in which she stars alongside Keerthy Suresh.
Apte questions appearance-based criticism
Responding to the comments about Bhatt, Apte described her as physically fit and contrasted the scrutiny with the treatment of some male action performers.
Her argument concerned unequal expectations—not a claim that a particular body type should qualify or disqualify anyone from the genre. She did not identify individual male actors in the quoted response.
The distinction matters because criticism of an action performance can address movement, choreography or how convincingly a sequence is filmed. Personal insults about an actor’s body are a different matter.
She links audience responses to wider social expectations
Apte suggested that conventional attitudes towards women could influence how audiences respond to female-led stories.
She referred to expectations about women’s clothing, behaviour and marriage, and questioned people’s comfort with women exercising greater freedom. She presented that explanation as her interpretation, rather than a proven account of every viewer’s reaction.
Her comments invite a more precise discussion than the blanket claim that male stars face “no scrutiny.” The question she raised was whether comparable standards are applied consistently.
What is Alpha?
Directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha features Bhatt and Sharvari, with Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor also in the cast. The film places women at the centre of an action-driven story.
Apte’s defence addresses the appearance-based response to Bhatt’s role. It does not require readers to agree on the film’s screenplay, dialogue or overall quality.
Those are separate aspects of criticism and can be assessed without turning the discussion into judgement of an actor’s body.
The interview comes alongside Akka
Apte and Suresh appear together in Akka, the YRF Entertainment series whose announced Netflix premiere was October 30, 2026.
Their work in a women-led crime drama provides context for the conversation about who gets accepted in roles associated with power and physical authority.
Apte’s central point was about consistency: audiences can debate performances while examining whether their expectations change according to the actor’s gender.
