Keerthy Suresh opens up about Netflix series ‘Akka’ with Radhika Apte

Keerthy Suresh says she was drawn to the world of her upcoming Netflix series “Akka” and wanted it to be her first Hindi project. The 1980s-set gangster drama also stars Radhika Apte and premieres on October 30

Mumbai: National Award-winning actor Keerthy Suresh said on Thursday that she was instantly drawn to the world of her upcoming OTT series “Akka” and wanted it to be her first Hindi-language project.

Written and directed by Dharmaraj Shetty, the gangster series is set in the 1980s in Pernuru, a fictional kingdom shaped by generations of women who built, governed, and protected it.

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Keerthy’s best performance came in ‘Mahanati,’ a story about the legendary actress Savithri.

The story follows Bhavani, played by Suresh, and Rudra, portrayed by Radhika Apte. The two formidable women have differing perspectives and rivalries that shape the kingdom’s power dynamics.

Suresh, who made her Hindi film debut with the 2024 Varun Dhawan-starrer action film “Baby John”, said she liked Shetty’s vision for the project and was elated when he offered her the lead role.

“It is unique and a never-seen-before world, and to see two women against each other. I’m so happy and glad I got to do this. This is the first project I signed in Hindi, and I wanted this to come out first. But I’m glad I got to play a big part in it,” she told reporters at the series’ trailer launch.

“When Dharma came to me to narrate ‘Akka’, I didn’t know what I was signing for. I heard the first episode, and it took a while to understand the world because it is a unique world. The minute I finished hearing the first episode, I was like, ‘I’m doing it’,” she added.

Suresh is best known for her roles in Tamil and Telugu films such as “Nenu Sailaja”, “Rajinimurugan”, “Sarkar”, “Penguin”, “Saani Kaayidham”, “Sarkaru Vaari Paata”, “Dasara” and “Baby John”. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of actor Savitri in the 2018 biographical drama “Mahanati”.

The 34-year-old actor credited the director with helping her develop her character and said the preparation for the series introduced her to a different approach to working.

“Every time you get into a new character, I always have starting trouble, like where do we start, what are the details, how do we go ahead with it? And Dharma made it easy,” she said, adding that several look tests helped her get into the skin of her character.

Suresh also said the script-reading sessions were a new experience for her and that she hoped to carry the practice into her future projects.

“I loved all the process that we did on this show, the prep work that we did before shooting, because that is very new for me, be it script reading or the number of look tests. All these were new for me. I loved doing it, and I want to keep doing it for all my films,” she said.

Speaking about working with Apte, Suresh said she had long admired the acclaimed actor’s body of work.

“Radhika is a great actor, and I’ve always admired her on screen. To work with her on a beautiful show like this meant a lot,” she said.

Produced by YRF Entertainment, “Akka” will premiere on Netflix on October 30.