Radhikka Madan has spoken candidly about her role as Sailee in Netflix’s Lust Stories 3, while also addressing the way women are judged when relationships or marriages break down. In a recent interview with Mid-Day, the actor discussed her collaboration with director Shakun Batra, the complexity of her character, changing portrayals of female desire and the standards she applies when selecting roles.
Madan said the script and the opportunity to work with Batra were major factors behind her decision to join the anthology. She had wanted to collaborate with the filmmaker for some time and was particularly attracted to the imperfections written into Sailee and Ali Fazal’s character.
Radhikka Madan on Playing Sailee in Lust Stories 3
According to Madan, one of the aspects that attracted her to Lust Stories 3 was the fact that its characters are not presented as flawless people.
She found Sailee’s emotional complexity particularly interesting, while also appreciating the layered nature of Ali Fazal’s character.
The actor’s comments suggest that the imperfections of the characters were an important part of the appeal rather than something the story attempted to hide.
Madan also shared her thoughts on relationships and the expectations people can place on their partners.
“It’s the idea of a perfect man that kills us,” she said.
She explained that accepting one’s own imperfections can also make it easier to let go of the expectation of finding a completely perfect partner. For Madan, qualities such as empathy, respect, passion and kindness matter more.
She also praised Ali Fazal, describing him as both a strong performer and a kind person.
Radhikka Madan on Why Women Are Blamed When Relationships Fail
Madan also addressed what she sees as a recurring social tendency to place disproportionate responsibility on women when relationships experience problems.
She pointed to the expectation that women are responsible for maintaining the stability of a household, while the man’s role can receive less scrutiny.
“The idea of a woman in this country is, she is the one who makes or breaks the house. So, the boy has no part at all. We judge women very quickly,” Madan said.
Her comments highlight a broader issue around gender expectations in relationships, particularly the pressure on women to take responsibility for the emotional and social functioning of a family.
Madan Recalls Her Parents’ Concerns About Her Acting Career
The actor also reflected on the early days of her acting journey and her family’s initial concerns about her entering the film industry.
Madan recalled that her mother was worried after seeing negative stories about the entertainment industry in newspapers, magazines and gossip publications.
“My family was very scared. What they had read in the news, magazines, gossip, everything. So, my mother was really scared,” she recalled.
Her father, however, supported her decision and accompanied her to Mumbai. Madan said he even waited outside an audition venue while she attended the audition.
The memory reflects the contrasting reactions within her family as she pursued acting professionally.
Radhikka Madan on Women’s Desire in Indian Cinema
Madan also discussed the changing representation of female desire in Indian cinema.
Speaking about Lust Stories 3, she praised the anthology for presenting women’s desire more openly while avoiding a purely sensational approach.
“Especially in this anthology, we have openly shown women’s desire. And just the lens with which everybody showed that was just beautiful,” she said.
According to Madan, female characters have increasingly been given greater narrative depth rather than being used primarily for visual appeal.
“The female characters are way more developed now. It’s not just for the male gaze. It’s well-sketched out these days,” she said.
At the same time, she acknowledged that not every project has moved in the same direction. Some female roles continue to have limited narrative importance, something she considers when evaluating potential projects.
Why Radhikka Madan Rejects Roles That Treat Women Like “Furniture”
For Madan, the quality and purpose of a female character are important factors when she decides whether to accept a role.
She has made it clear that she does not want to play a character who exists simply to occupy space alongside the male protagonists.
“I would not want to play parts where women are treated like furniture,” she said.
Her comment reflects her preference for characters who have their own motivations, emotional journeys and meaningful contributions to the story.
Radhikka Madan’s Upcoming Project
On the work front, Madan is set to appear in Rumi’s Sharafat, alongside Raghav Binani, Sushil Dahiya and Sharib Hashmi.
Meanwhile, her performance as Sailee in Lust Stories 3 has given the actor another opportunity to explore a morally and emotionally complicated female character while engaging with questions around relationships, desire and gender expectations.
