India ashamed of sexuality, physicality

Actress Radhika Apte, who has often been under the scanner for her "bold" approach in her films, says anything remotely associated with human body can turn out to be a problem in India – a country that is "very ashamed of sexuality and physicality".

Sex and sexuality are not the only veiled topics of discussion in the country. Menstruation also finds a spot on the list, and Radhika is happy that the topic is being handled in a "big way" in her upcoming Bollywood film ‘Pad Man’– which tells a true story of a man's journey to make affordable sanitary napkins.

Starting with the poster in the shape of a sanitary napkin, Radhika feels the film will help overcome the hesitation which surrounds a natural process that a woman goes through every month.

"I think our country is very ashamed of sexuality, physicality, or human body. Anything to do with human body or sexuality is a problem here," Radhika said.

Despite the critical acclaim coming her way aplenty, Radhika has often been in news for being "bold" in her films – be it an intimate scene with co-star Adil Hussain in ‘Parched’ being leaked online, or a clip of a semi-nude Radhika from an Anurag Kashyap-directed short film making its way on to the web.

The actress has never tried to sweep the matter under the rug, and believes in talking about it instead of opting for silence. "Yes, there is a whole thing of generations of being awkward about things, but if you start taking a decision like 'Okay, I am not going to feel like that', it will make a difference," she said.