Radhika Apte on Playing Rudra in Netflix’s Akka: “A Character That I Had Never Played Before”

Radhika Apte is preparing to explore a different side of her acting range with Akka, Netflix’s upcoming gangster drama that brings her together with Keerthy Suresh. In the series, Apte plays Rudra, an ambitious and fiercely independent woman whose arrival challenges the established power structure of a fictional kingdom governed by women.

Speaking about the role, Radhika described Rudra as a character unlike any she had portrayed before. The actress was particularly drawn to the contrast between Rudra’s dramatic appearance and the complexity of her motivations.

“Rudra was a character that I had never played before,” she said, describing the role as an opportunity to explore a new screen persona.

Radhika Apte Explores a Different Side of Her Acting

Radhika Apte has built a reputation for taking on unconventional characters across films and streaming projects. From Andhadhun and Phobia to Sacred Games and Lust Stories, her performances have often involved morally complicated personalities and stories that move beyond conventional genre boundaries.

With Akka, she steps into a more stylised world. Rudra is dramatic, ambitious and unwilling to accept the established order simply because it has existed for generations.

The character's outward confidence conceals several layers of complexity. For Apte, that contrast was a major attraction: Rudra is not defined solely by her appearance or her ambition, but also by the beliefs and personal motivations behind her decisions.

The role also required the actress to approach her performance differently from some of her earlier, more naturalistic work.

Rudra’s Arrival Challenges Bhavani’s Authority

Akka is set in Pernuru, a fictional kingdom shaped by generations of women who have built and protected its power structures.

Keerthy Suresh plays Bhavani, a formidable figure determined to safeguard her legacy. Radhika’s Rudra enters this established world with ambitions of her own, setting up a conflict between two women with contrasting ideas about power, loyalty and control.

Their rivalry forms the heart of the series. However, the story is not presented simply as a battle between a hero and a villain. The characters have their own convictions, and their decisions are shaped by personal stakes and competing beliefs.

This complexity is central to what attracted Apte to the project. Rather than treating the conflict as a straightforward contest for authority, Akka explores how different worldviews can bring people into direct opposition.

A Gangster Saga With a Distinctive World

Written and directed by Dharmaraj Shetty, Akka approaches the gangster genre through a fictional setting in which women occupy the centre of political and social power.

The series combines crime, rivalry, family relationships and questions of legacy. Its setting allows the story to build its own rules, while the contrasting personalities of Bhavani and Rudra drive the tension.

Produced by YRF Entertainment, the show also features Tanvi Azmi, Mahesh Manjrekar, Anshuman Pushkar and Monica Panwar, among others.

The collaboration brings together performers with varied screen backgrounds, with the central conflict anchored by Keerthy and Radhika.

Radhika Apte and Keerthy Suresh Share the Screen

The face-off between Bhavani and Rudra gives the series two distinct perspectives on authority.

Bhavani is concerned with protecting the legacy she has inherited and the system she represents. Rudra, by contrast, is prepared to challenge that system to pursue her own ambitions.

Their differences create the possibility of conflict beyond a simple struggle for control. The characters' loyalties, beliefs and personal histories also influence how they respond to one another.

For viewers, the pairing offers an opportunity to see Radhika Apte and Keerthy Suresh in roles that rely on contrasting energies rather than making them interchangeable figures in the same power struggle.

When Will Akka Release on Netflix?

Netflix has announced that Akka will premiere on October 30, 2026.

The series is part of the continuing collaboration between Netflix and YRF Entertainment, which have previously worked together on projects including The Railway Men, Maharaj and Mandala Murders.

With its fictional kingdom, competing power centres and central rivalry between Bhavani and Rudra, Akka is positioned as a gangster drama with a distinctive setting.

The Celebrity Hour Take

Radhika Apte’s description of Rudra as a character she had never played before points to one of the most interesting aspects of Akka: the opportunity to see the actress explore a more dramatic and stylised performance.

Rudra’s ambition puts her on a collision course with Bhavani, but the conflict appears to extend beyond a conventional fight for power. Their different beliefs and personal stakes are central to the story.

With Keerthy Suresh and Radhika Apte leading the cast, Akka brings a fresh setting to the gangster genre. Audiences can discover Rudra’s full story when the series premieres on Netflix on October 30.

Sources & Verification

• Official Netflix announcement: [Netflix-Akka trailer and series details]-creative team and the October 30, 2026 premiere date. It also includes Radhika Apte’s comments about Rudra.

• Radhika Apte’s character interview: [Filmibeat] - covers her description of Rudra as a role unlike her previous characters.

• Additional background: [PTI interview coverage in Ahmedabad Mirror- discusses the more dramatic and stylised performance the role required.