Radhika Apte

Radhika Apte, born on September 7, 1985, in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India, is a highly skilled and versatile Indian actress who has made a lasting impact on the country's film industry. Renowned for her exceptional acting abilities and natural on-screen charisma, Apte's journey began after completing her education in Economics and Mathematics at Fergusson College in Pune.

Making her cinematic debut in 2005 with "Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi" in Bollywood, Radhika quickly gained acclaim for her powerful performances in a range of films, straddling both mainstream and independent cinema. Her breakthrough role came from the critically acclaimed "Shor in the City" (2011), where she garnered widespread praise for her portrayal of a struggling immigrant.

Embracing a fearless and unconventional approach to her craft, Apte has diversified her career with impactful roles in films such as "Badlapur," "Parched," and "Phobia." Additionally, she has made significant contributions to the digital realm with acclaimed performances in web series like "Sacred Games " and "Lust Stories." Beyond her acting prowess, Radhika Apte is recognized for her outspoken advocacy on issues such as gender equality and body positivity, positioning her as not just a celebrated artist but also a thought leader in the entertainment industry. With her exceptional talent, versatility, and dedication to meaningful storytelling, Radhika Apte remains a prominent and influential figure in the dynamic landscape of Indian cinema.

Early Life and Education

Radhika Apte, born on September 7, 1985, in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, comes from a Marathi Brahmin family. Her parents, both doctors at the Christian Medical College Hospital in Vellore, were studying and working when she was born. Dr. Charudutt Apte, her father, later became a neurosurgeon and chairman of Sahyadri Hospital in Pune. Apte pursued her education in Economics and Mathematics at Fergusson College, Pune. Growing up, she initially attended a regular school in Pune before being homeschooled along with four friends by parents in the same building who sought an alternative to the traditional schooling system. This unconventional education fostered Apte's self-confidence.

During her upbringing in Pune, Apte received training in Kathak under the guidance of Rohini Bhate for eight years. It was during this period that she discovered her passion for theatre and decided to pursue a career in films in Mumbai. However, her initial experience in the city was discouraging, leading her to return to Pune. Apte faced financial challenges, earning a modest salary from theatre roles and navigating living as a paying guest in Goregaon. Despite these hardships, she made her film debut in the Marathi film "Gho mala asala hawa" (2009) and later appeared in films like "Rakta Charitra Rakta Charitra 2 ," and "I Am."

After a brief stint in London, where she studied contemporary dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Apte found the experience to be transformative. During her time in London, she met her future husband, Benedict, who eventually moved to Pune with her. Although initially hesitant to return to Mumbai due to her earlier struggles, Apte eventually moved back, and her second stint in the city proved to be more positive and fulfilling, as she no longer felt isolated.

Marriage

Radhika Apte and Benedict Taylor crossed paths in 2011 in London while Apte was on a year-long break to study contemporary dance. According to director Sarang Sathaye, a close friend of Radhika, they had been cohabiting for an extended period. Reportedly, the couple had a registered marriage a month before the widely acknowledged ceremony, which was initially scheduled for March 2013.

Early Career

Radhika Apte made her debut in the Hindi film industry with a small role in "Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!" in 2005, a project she took on "just for fun" while still in college. Rahul Bose, having witnessed Apte's performance in Anahita Oberoi's play Bombay Black, recommended her to director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. This led to her being cast in the National award-winning Bengali film "Antaheen," alongside Aparna Sen, Sharmila Tagore, and Rahul Bose. Apte portrayed the character of Brinda Roy Menon, a TV journalist, earning acclaim for her performance. Riddhima Seal, writing for The Times of India, hailed Apte as a "revelation" with expressive eyes that convey myriad emotions, perfectly capturing her passion for her work and the solitude in her heart.

In 2009, Apte had her first Indian release, "Gho Mala Asla Hava," a production by KBC, where she played the role of Savitri, a village girl. She also collaborated with Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar on the Hindi docufiction "Mor Dekhne Jungle Mein." During the same year, Apte worked on various projects, including Jatin Wagle's "Ek Indian Manoos," Akash Khurana's "Life Online," and Amol Palekar's Indian film "Samaantar." In 2010, she appeared in Maneej Premnath's thriller "The Waiting Room" and played a significant role in Ram Gopal Varma's "Rakta Charitra" and its sequel. Upon her return from London, Apte was offered a role in a major Bollywood production but was eventually replaced because, as she revealed, they deemed her too overweight for the part.

Breakthrough

In 2011, Radhika Apte featured in the anthology films "I Am" and "Shor in the City" produced by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures. Collaborating for the third time with Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar, she worked on "Ha Bharat Majha" (2012), a film inspired by Anna Hazare's movement, shot in just 14 days and showcased at various film festivals. In the same year, Apte appeared in two other films: "Tukaram" in Marathi and "Dhoni," marking her debut in Tamil cinema. Her performance in "Dhoni" earned her a nomination for the SIIMA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Moving on to 2013, Apte starred in the Bengali film "Rupkatha Noy," portraying the character of Sananda, an IT engineer and single mother with a haunting past. In 2014, her initial releases included "Postcard," "Pendulum," "Legend," and "Vetri Selvan" in Bengali, Telugu, and Tamil, respectively. She then appeared in "LaiBhaari." Apte described "Pendulum" as a story of magic realism exploring multiple layers of parallel or apparent realities, featuring her as a working woman in a relationship with a younger man. In "Vetri Selvan," she played the role of a lawyer. Both "Legend" and "Lai Bhaari" achieved commercial success, with the latter setting a record as the highest-grossing Marathi film of all time by breaking the opening weekend box office record.

Rise to Prominence

In 2015, Radhika Apte garnered widespread recognition for her performances in six feature films released within the first eight months of the year. Her initial release, Sriram Raghavan's "Badlapur," featured her in a minor supporting role that required six days of shooting. Despite her brief appearance towards the end of the film, Apte received widespread acclaim for her performance. Critics, including Raja Sen from Rediff, hailed her as "sensational" and noted that she stood out in the ensemble cast, with her presence marked as one of the film's finest moments. Following the Malayalam release "Haram" and Telugu release "Lion," Apte returned to Hindi cinema with the sex comedy "Hunter," directed by Harshvardhan Kulkarni.

Despite mixed reviews for the film, Apte received praise for her realistic portrayal. Shubha Shetty-Saha of mid-day.com termed her "excellent in a realistic role," and Filmfare's Rachit Gupta commended her performance in a character described as unconventional and full of surprises. The success of both "Badlapur" and "Hunter" catapulted Apte into mainstream Bollywood, earning her critical acclaim and establishing her as the "latest sensation of Bollywood," the industry's new "go-to girl," and the "new constant in Indian cinema," as noted by the media. HuffPost India stated, "Radhika Apte is on her way to stardom, whether she likes it or not."

In 2018, Radhika Apte collaborated with Akshay Kumar in R. Balki's comedy-drama "Pad Man," adapted from a short story in Twinkle Khanna's book, "The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad." The film draws inspiration from the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, an advocate for menstrual hygiene in rural India. Apte portrayed the role of a reserved homemaker whose husband (played by Kumar) innovates low-cost sanitary napkins. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV commended Apte, describing her as a consistent scene-stealer who significantly contributes to maintaining a genuine and non-clichéd dynamic between the protagonist and his wife.

In a significant career move, Apte marked her directorial debut with "The Sleepwalkers," featuring Gulshan Devaiah and Shahana Goswami. The film competes in the Palm Springs International ShortFest 2020 under the Best Midnight Short category.

Looking ahead, Apte has three upcoming Hindi language projects. "The Field" is the directorial debut of Rohit Karn Batra, "Parched" directed by Leena Yadav, is a U.S.-Indian co-production, and " Bombairiya" is an Indo-British production. Additionally, she is involved in a Tamil project titled " Ula."

Theatre

Apte actively engages in theatre and has contributed to various stage productions, predominantly in Hindi. She is affiliated with Mohit Takalkar's theatre group, Aasakta Kalamanch, in her hometown. Apte has taken on roles in plays such as Tu, Purnaviram, Matra Ratra, and Samuel Beckett's That Time alongside Rehan Engineer. Additionally, she has featured in the commercial Hindi play, Kanyadaan, and an English production titled Bombay Black. In 2013, she participated in the Indian play Uney Purey Shahar Ek, an adaptation of Girish Karnad's Benda Kaalu on Toast ("Baked Beans on Toast"). Apte has expressed her intention to perform in an English play in London, emphasizing her inclination toward experimental theatre.

Controversies

• In February 2015, indecent images of Apte gained widespread attention on social media. Nonetheless, it was subsequently revealed that the pictures portrayed a woman resembling Radhika.
• In March 2015, Radhika expressed disapproval of the Telugu film industry, labeling it as "patriarchal" and "male-chauvinistic." She further asserted that she faced significant challenges in the industry, citing inadequate treatment of actresses.
• In April 2015, a video clip depicting Apte lifting her clothing gained widespread circulation on the internet. This clip was originally a segment from Anurag Kashyap's international short film. Upon learning of the incident, Kashyap promptly approached the Cyber Crime Branch of Mumbai Police and filed a complaint.

Awards

• Radhika Apte received the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Bollywood film "Parched" in 2016.
• In 2017, Apte received the Tribeca Film Festival Award for Best Actress for Bollywood Film, Madly.
• Radhika Apte was honored with the Vogue Digital Disruptor Award in 2018.

Net Worth and Car Collection

As of 2023, Radhika Apte's net worth is reported to be USD 5 million. Renowned as one of the leading actresses in the Indian film industry, she has been involved in numerous shows and films. Radhika Apte's monthly earnings are estimated to be around 50 lakh rupees.

Radhika Apte has a fondness for purchasing high-end automobiles and is the proud owner of some lavish cars, including models like the BMW X2, Audi A4, and Volkswagen Tiguan.

Some Lesser Known Facts

• Radhika Apte's preferred subject was Mathematics, and she received instruction in the subject from her grandmother, Madhumalati Apte, a mathematician with a Ph.D. from France.
• Radhika is skilled in Kathak dancing, having undergone eight years of training in the art form.
• At 18, Radhika initiated her acting journey in Marathi theatre with the debut play "Nako Re Baba" in 2003.
• Radhika Apte is affiliated with Mohit Takalkar's Pune-based theatre group, Aasakta Kalamanch.
• She prefers portraying nuanced characters over conventional glamorous roles. In 2014, she received critical acclaim for nine film releases in various languages.
• In 2018, Radhika co-authored and took on the lead role of Kalindi in the Bollywood film "Lust Stories."

Conclusion

Radhika Apte stands out as a versatile force in the Indian entertainment realm, leaving an enduring impression through her remarkable performances in cinema, theatre, and television. Renowned for her inclination towards intricate and demanding roles, she effortlessly traverses a diverse spectrum of characters, garnering widespread praise. Beginning her artistic journey in Marathi theatre and subsequently establishing herself in Bollywood, Apte's trajectory is defined by adaptability and a steadfast dedication to her craft. Proficient in portraying nuanced characters with profound depth, she has become an emblem of substantial storytelling.

Apte's prowess extends beyond acting, as evidenced by her involvement in writing, notably co-authoring and starring in the Bollywood film "Lust Stories" in 2018. This showcases her as a multifaceted artist who consistently captivates audiences with her exceptional skills and unwavering commitment to her artistic endeavors.