Celebrity Biography · Updated October 27, 2026

Radhika Apte Biography: Age, Husband Benedict Taylor, Movies, Web Series & Latest News

Radhika Apte (born Radhika Charudutt Apte; 7 September 1985) is an Indian actress who works mainly in Hindi films and streaming series, along with Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and English-language projects. Born in Vellore and raised in Pune, she trained in Kathak, began in Marathi theatre and got her first lead role in the Bengali film Antaheen (2009). She broke through in 2015 with Badlapur, Hunterrr and Manjhi – The Mountain Man, and starred in Kabali, Pad Man and Andhadhun. Her Netflix work in Lust Stories, Sacred Games and Ghoul made her the face of Indian streaming, and she became the first Indian actress nominated for an International Emmy. She is married to British musician Benedict Taylor, and the couple have a daughter. Her new Netflix series Akka, with Keerthy Suresh, premieres on 30 October 2026.

Radhika Apte Biography – Indian actress
Radhika Apte

Radhika Apte Latest News (October 2026)

  • Akka premieres 30 October 2026: Radhika plays Rudra opposite Keerthy Suresh in YRF Entertainment’s crime drama series Akka, set in the fictional kingdom of Pernuru, which streams on Netflix from 30 October.
  • On female-led films (24 October 2026): While promoting Akka, she said only top stars such as Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone can guarantee a box-office opening for a woman-led film, and that she chooses projects regardless of whether they are theatrical or streaming.
  • Working as a mother: She said she now sticks to 12-hour shifts so she can spend time with her daughter.
  • On screen violence (26 October 2026): She told PTI she finds the trend of extreme violence in films absurd and would rather not be part of such projects.

Radhika Apte Profile, Age and Wiki

Bio
Full Name Radhika Charudutt Apte
Profession Actress, theatre artist, director
Date of Birth 7 September 1985
Age (as of 2026) 41 years
Birthplace Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Hometown Pune, Maharashtra
Nationality Indian
College Fergusson College, Pune (Economics and Mathematics)
Training Kathak under Rohini Bhate; contemporary dance at Trinity Laban, London
Career
Film Debut Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! (2005)
First Lead Role Antaheen (Bengali, 2009)
Streaming Breakthrough Lust Stories, Sacred Games, Ghoul (2018)
Directorial Debut The Sleepwalkers (short film, 2020)
Recognition International Emmy nomination; Tribeca Best Actress (Madly); BIFA nomination (Sister Midnight)
Personal Life
Father Dr Charudutt Apte (neurosurgeon, chairman of Sahyadri Hospital)
Mother Dr Jayashree Apte
Husband Benedict Taylor (British musician; married 2012)
Children One daughter (born 2024)

Early Life and Education

Radhika was born on 7 September 1985 at Christian Medical College, Vellore, where both her parents were resident doctors. Her father, Charudutt Apte, later became a neurosurgeon and chairman of Sahyadri Hospital in Pune, where she grew up. After some years in a regular school, she was home-schooled along with four friends by parents in their building, an experience she has said boosted her confidence.

She studied economics and mathematics at Fergusson College, Pune, and trained in Kathak for eight years under the noted dancer Rohini Bhate. In Pune she became active in experimental theatre with Mohit Takalkar’s group Aasakta Kalamanch. Later she spent a year in London studying contemporary dance at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where she met her future husband.

Career

Theatre and Early Films (2005–2014)

Radhika did a small role in Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! (2005) while still in college. Actor Rahul Bose saw her in the English play Bombay Black and recommended her for Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Bengali film Antaheen (2009), which won the National Award for Best Film and gave her a first lead role as a TV journalist. She worked in Marathi films such as Samaantar, Gho Mala Asla Hava and Tukaram, appeared in Ram Gopal Varma’s Rakta Charitra (2010), and made her Tamil debut in Prakash Raj’s Dhoni (2012). In 2014 she starred opposite Balakrishna in the Telugu hit Legend and in the record-breaking Marathi film Lai Bhaari.

Bollywood Breakthrough (2015–2016)

Radhika had a small but much-praised role in Sriram Raghavan’s Badlapur (2015), shot in just six days, followed by the sex comedy Hunterrr and Ketan Mehta’s Manjhi – The Mountain Man, in which she played the wife of Dashrath Manjhi. The media called her Bollywood’s new go-to actress. She also played the title role in Sujoy Ghosh’s short film Ahalya. In 2016 she won acclaim for the independent films Parched, which won her Best Actress at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, and Phobia, in which she played an artist with agoraphobia. That year she starred as Rajinikanth’s wife in the Tamil blockbuster Kabali.

Radhika played Sophie in Sriram Raghavan’s Andhadhun.

Pad Man, Andhadhun and Netflix (2017–2020)

Radhika won the Best Actress award at the Tribeca Film Festival for the anthology Madly (2016–17). In 2018 she starred opposite Akshay Kumar in R. Balki’s Pad Man and as Sophie in Sriram Raghavan’s acclaimed thriller Andhadhun. The same year she appeared in three Netflix productions: Anurag Kashyap’s segment of the anthology Lust Stories, which she co-wrote, the series Sacred Games as RAW officer Anjali Mathur, and the horror miniseries Ghoul. Her role in Lust Stories made her the first Indian actress nominated for an International Emmy. She played the spy Noor Inayat Khan in the American film A Call to Spy (2019) and a police officer in the Netflix film Raat Akeli Hai (2020), and directed the short film The Sleepwalkers.

Recent Work (2022–2026)

Radhika played a police officer in Monica, O My Darling (2022), appeared in Vikram Vedha and Forensic, and starred in Mrs Undercover (2023) and the second season of Made in Heaven. She had a cameo in Sriram Raghavan’s Merry Christmas (2024), starring Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi. Her lead role as a new bride in Mumbai in the British film Sister Midnight (2024), which premiered at Cannes, earned her a British Independent Film Award nomination. Her 2025 work includes Justin Lin’s English film Last Days, Saali Mohabbat and a special appearance in Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders. She is also part of Lust Stories 3 and the Netflix series Akka.

About Akka

Akka is a crime drama series produced by YRF Entertainment for Netflix. Set in the fictional kingdom of Pernuru, it follows a clash between two strong women, played by Keerthy Suresh and Radhika Apte, who plays Rudra. Radhika has described the set as a positive space with many women both in front of and behind the camera, and has rejected the idea that women on set tend to clash. The series premieres on Netflix on 30 October 2026.

Radhika Apte Movies and Shows

Year Title Role Language / Notes
2005 Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! Anjali Hindi; debut
2009 Antaheen Brinda Bengali; first lead
2010 Rakta Charitra Nandini Telugu/Hindi
2012 Dhoni Nalini Tamil debut
2014 Legend, Lai Bhaari Radhika, Kavita Telugu, Marathi
2015 Badlapur, Hunterrr, Manjhi Koko, Tripti, Phaguniya Hindi breakthrough
2016 Parched, Phobia Lajjo, Mehak Hindi
2016 Kabali Kumudhavalli Tamil; with Rajinikanth
2018 Pad Man, Andhadhun Gayatri, Sophie Hindi
2018 Lust Stories Kalindi Netflix; International Emmy nomination
2018 Sacred Games, Ghoul Anjali Mathur, Nida Rahim Netflix series
2019 A Call to Spy Noor Inayat Khan English
2020 Raat Akeli Hai Radha Netflix film
2022 Monica, O My Darling ACP Vijayashanti Naidu Netflix film
2023 Mrs Undercover Durga ZEE5
2024 Sister Midnight Uma British film; BIFA nomination
2025 Last Days, Saali Mohabbat Meera Ganali, Smita English, Hindi
2026 Lust Stories 3 Padma Anthology
2026 Akka Rudra Netflix series; 30 October

Awards and Recognition

  • International Emmy Award nomination for Best Actress – Lust Stories (first Indian actress nominated)
  • Best Actress, Tribeca Film Festival – Madly
  • Best Actress, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles – Parched
  • British Independent Film Award nomination – Sister Midnight (2024)
  • iReel Award for Best Breakthrough Artist (2019)
  • Her Phobia performance was named among Film Companion’s 100 greatest performances of the decade
Radhika Apte in Akka (2026)
Radhika plays Rudra in the Netflix series Akka

Personal Life

Radhika met London-based musician and composer Benedict Taylor in 2011 during her year studying dance in London. They had a registered marriage in 2012. She revealed her pregnancy on the red carpet of the BFI London Film Festival in October 2024, and the couple welcomed a daughter in December 2024. She has spoken openly against sexual harassment in the film industry.

Radhika Apte with husband Benedict Taylor
Radhika Apte with husband Benedict Taylor

Why Radhika Apte Stands Out

Few Indian actresses have worked across as many languages and formats as Radhika. She moves easily between art-house films, mainstream hits with Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar, international productions and streaming shows, and is often called the poster child of Indian OTT. Her International Emmy nomination and BIFA nomination have given her a profile outside India, and her outspoken views on the industry make her one of its most quoted voices.

Lesser-Known Facts About Radhika Apte

  • Both her parents were doctors, and she was born in the hospital where they worked.
  • She was partly home-schooled in Pune.
  • She trained in Kathak for eight years.
  • She co-wrote her segment in Lust Stories.
  • She directed the short film The Sleepwalkers, starring Gulshan Devaiah and Shahana Goswami.

Related Biographies

  • Katrina Kaif – star of Merry Christmas, in which Radhika has a cameo
  • Deepika Padukone – one of the stars she named as able to open a woman-led film

FAQs About Radhika Apte

When was Radhika Apte born?

Radhika Apte was born on 7 September 1985 in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, and grew up in Pune.

Who is Radhika Apte’s husband?

Radhika Apte is married to British musician Benedict Taylor. They met in London in 2011 and married in 2012.

Does Radhika Apte have a child?

Yes. Radhika Apte and Benedict Taylor have a daughter, born in December 2024.

Was Radhika Apte nominated for an Emmy?

Yes. Radhika Apte was nominated for the International Emmy Award for Best Actress for Lust Stories, becoming the first Indian actress to receive the nomination.

What was Radhika Apte’s first film?

Her first film was Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! (2005). Her first lead role was in the Bengali film Antaheen (2009).

What is Radhika Apte’s new series?

Her new series is Akka, a Netflix crime drama with Keerthy Suresh, premiering on 30 October 2026.

Where did Radhika Apte study?

She studied economics and mathematics at Fergusson College, Pune, and contemporary dance at Trinity Laban in London.

Sources

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