Radhika Sarathkumar recalls dark skin insecurity during scene with Kamal Haasan

Radhika Sarathkumar recalled how insecurities about her complexion affected her confidence in her early film career, including during a scene with Kamal Haasan, while also reflecting on changing beauty standards in the industry.

Actor Radhika Sarathkumar has revisited a deeply personal memory from her early years in cinema, opening up about feeling “too dark” beside Kamal Haasan during a film shoot, an experience that, she says, brought her insecurity around complexion into sharp focus.

In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, Radhika recalled an incident from a film she was shooting with Haasan, where a seemingly simple scene left her visibly uncomfortable. The moment unfolded during a sequence that required her to hug the actor from behind, something she found herself instinctively resisting.

Director K Vishwanath was quick to notice the unease on set. “He asked, ‘You all don’t like each other?’” Radhika recalled, adding that both she and Haasan were taken aback by the question. Even after she clarified that there was no issue between them, the director remained unconvinced, sensing an underlying discomfort.

What followed left the cast and crew momentarily confused. Radhika said Vishwanath suddenly turned to Kamal Haasan, picked up a bottle of perfume and sprayed it all over him, an unexpected gesture that puzzled everyone present.

It was only later that Radhika explained the real reason behind her hesitation. “I told Kamal Haasan that you are too fair, and my hands are two shades darker than my face,” she said. “When I hugged him, I felt it looked very bad," she continued.

Haasan, she recalled, immediately brushed aside her concern, telling her it was “not even a matter of concern.” Despite his reassurance, the moment left a lasting impression on her. “Even today, when he sees me, he’ll say, ‘Oh, she is so fixated on the complexion,’” Radhika said, noting that the incident continues to resurface in their conversations.