Angrezi Medium marked the final on-screen appearance of the legendary actor Irrfan Khan. For actress Radhika Madan, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the screen with him—one she didn’t stumble upon by chance, but rather, fought for it. In her latest vlog, filmmaker Farah Khan paid a visit to Radhika’s home, where the two bonded over a Delhi-style breakfast of aloo puri and buttermilk. Between laughs and ladles, Farah asked Radhika how she landed a role in Angrezi Medium and the answer left her surprised.
“I had signed my first film and had three months before it began,” Radhika recalled. “I didn’t know how to kill time, so I started giving auditions just for fun, thinking, ‘Who’s going to cast me anyway?’” When it came to Angrezi Medium, she revealed, “They had already locked someone else. But I went, fought, and irritated them, saying, ‘Please take my audition!’”
Initially hesitant, director Homi Adajania was told by his team that Radhika didn’t fit the role. “They told me, ‘Ma’am, we’re looking for a 17-year-old.’ But I insisted. I was adamant. It irritated Homi and he finally said, ‘Fine, take her audition.’” Radhika shared this was the year of star kids and she didn’t think she will land the role.
At this, Farah jokingly asked, “So was there a star kid cast before you?” To which Radhika replied with a shrug, “I don’t know.” Farah laughed and quipped, “People keep saying star kids don’t let outsiders work… but actually, Radhika is the real culprit. She stole a star kid’s role.”
Radhika burst into laughter and said, “Honestly, I just wanted to show off to my friends that I auditioned for the film.” She went through six rounds of auditions, including one with a “nakli” Irrfan Khan. Farah interrupted with a mischievous grin, “Are you sure that wasn’t Babil?”, prompting even more laughter from Radhika.
But getting the part wasn’t the end of her efforts. “They asked me to lose 12 kilos, and I did,” she said. “Most people don’t know that I had gained weight earlier for Pataakha and other roles. This is my real weight.”
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Radhika also opened up about how she accidentally entered the world of acting. “I was approached through Facebook to audition in Delhi. It was at a shady location, and I thought it was a scam. I even took my friends along, ready to beat someone up. But it turned out to be legit. Three days later, I got a call. I did a look test, and on the fifth day, I was shooting my first TV show.”
