After brief parts in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Marathi films, Radhika Apte broke out as a prominent face in Bollywood and Hindi TV with hits like Sacred Games and Andhadhun to her name. Her multi-genre filmography across cinema and the OTT space is lined out in this definitive list of the best Radhika Apte movies and shows.
Where to watch Radhika Apte’s filmography?
Ever since Netflix India started rolling out originals with Sacred Games, Radhika Apte has had influential roles in many of the streaming service’s productions. Apart from her involvement in Netflix originals, most of her other theatrical releases can now be streamed on Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5 and others. Occasionally, her involvement in shows can also extend to Prime and Hotstar originals.
Once you’ve got your Radhika Apte watchlist ready to stream, also have a look at her stellar rise from a background actor to a top billing star.
Early credits with minor roles
Despite a background in performing arts like theatre and dance, Radhika Apte did struggle for years before making it big in Bollywood and Indian arthouse cinema. Apte’s film debut was a blink-and-miss appearance in the Shahid Kapoor-led fantasy comedy Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi. A few more minor roles later, her theatrical energy caught actor Rohit Bose’s attention who helped in casting her in the Bangla drama Antaheen.
But despite Antaheen’s critical acclaim, Apte’s struggles weren’t over yet.
Slow rise with supporting roles
While Apte didn’t make a household name after her Bengali debut, Antaheen was followed by better supporting roles in projects like Ram Gopal Varma’s multi-lingual crime drama Rakht Charitra in which she played the gangster protagonist’s romantic interest. Despite her role being crucial to the movie, Apte still felt exploited considering she wasn’t paid much while shooting in Tamil and Telugu (as she told Grazia magazine in 2021).
Future character roles in ensemble dramas like Shor In The City and I Am were notable credentials in her career but again, Apte couldn’t carve a niche in the industry yet.
OTT domination and memorable lead roles
2015 was when Apte’s luck began to go in her favour, thanks to her limited but notable appearances in critically lauded movies like the revenge drama Badlapur, the sex comedy Hunterrr, and the biopic Manjhi: The Mountain Man. In the very next year, Apte held her own getting top billing in the gender drama Parched and the psychological horror Phobia.
While these projects began establishing Apte’s supremacy among niche circles, her ever-growing involvement with OTT platforms established her as a mainstream star in her own right. It all started with Netflix’s first Indian original Sacred Games in which she played a cop tailing a criminal nexus.
She followed this act with more OTT releases like the horror miniseries Ghoul, the sci-fi comedy OK Computer , and the neo-noir Monica O My Darling. All of the aforementioned titles found her excelling as authority figures like policewomen, military operatives, and private investigators. No longer was Apte forced to stick to one-dimensional female roles.
Occasionally, she even ventures overseas with international projects like A Call To Spy and The Wedding Guest.
Why is Parched Radhika Apte’s best movie?
While Radhika Apte’s career has mostly been full of highs, Parched marked a new chapter in her diverse career. Sharing heartwarming chemistry with co-stars like Tannishtha Chatterjee and Suvreen Chawla, Apte brought life to an otherwise harrowing reality. The gritty human drama dealt with the lives of four rural women repressed into a conservative life until they decide to reclaim their freedom and rediscover their sexuality. Unabashedly bold and still socially relevant, Parched is an often overlooked but excellent display of Apte’s dramatic prowess.
