Radhika Apte, the incredibly talented Marathi Mulgi from Pune, has awestruck audiences with her stellar performance in films like Parched, Phobia and Lust Stories to name a few. The Netflix Queen has sportingly been featured in memes and is a total fan favourite. Well, the actress had a lovely Sunday Brunch with our Chief Editor, Kamiya Jani. Radhika Apte spoke about her love for food, travel and even made some interesting confessions. So read the interview below to find out more about her.
Kamiya Jani (KJ): Hello Radhika! Welcome to Sunday Brunch. The first thing I want to ask you is if I come to Pune, which are the places you’d take me to?
Radhika Apte (R): To be honest, things have changed in Pune alot. Sometimes I go there and alot of old joints aren’t there. There is a Misal place I can take you to if you want to have proper Maharashtrian food. There’s a Thali place, famous Appachi Khichdi, then there are alot of Pav Bhaji places, Chaat places and there are so many places.
KJ: I’ve heard you also get great spicy Misal. So do you know any good Misal joints where you have frequented since childhood?
R: I have never been a Misal fan, but there is a famous place in Tulsi Baug. If you go there, you can ask anybody about it.
KJ: Do you revisit any of these places anytime you go to Pune?
R: No, I only go there if I have guests who want to explore and see these places. But I don’t particularly go much.
KJ: Do you like Maharashtrian food?
R: I eat that every day. I usually eat Puri- Bhaji and Amti, which is like normal dal but prepared with different recipes and ingredients.
KJ: Is there any particular dish that your mom makes that you really love?
R: Yes, but they are not Maharashtrian. My mom makes a lovely fish curry, which is a South Indian preparation and there are also some Konkani fish curry preparations that I really enjoy eating. So it’s not necessarily Maharashtrian, but our everyday food at home is Maharashtrian.
KJ: Do you cook?
R: I cook. But I don’t make Maharashtrian food very well. I can’t make great rotis, but I make sabzis. But I don’t know the recipes by heart, I have to ask for it and then make it. I make Western food easily. That’s what I normally make. I make soups, salads, roast meals and grills.
KJ: So Radhika, both your parents are doctors. How was their reaction when you told them you wanted to become an actor? Did they want you to become a doctor?
R: They wanted me to do something else. But they were okay with it, they were quite liberal.
KJ: When you first came to Mumbai, what was the food you liked to eat?
R: You know, I eat Sev Puri most of the time even now. I eat it at least 3 to 4 times a week. I go to a joint that is next to my house. There’s a guy who makes delicious Sev Puri. There’s also a guy who sits outside Pruthvi Theatre. he makes delicious Sev Puri and it doesn’t upset my stomach. He uses safe water and that’s the most important thing. I don’t eat at fancy places. Even today, my friends make fun of me because I don’t know many fancy places.
KJ: Now that you have the money to go to fancy places, so is there a fancy place that you visit in Mumbai?
R: Not really, I don’t know many places. I’m not a social person, so I don’t know many places.
KJ: You know, many people don’t know that you’re married. Tell us something about it.
R: I don’t even believe in the institution of marriage very much. It’s not a big deal for me. So when they call me for that marriage-related magazines, I end up being a big disappointment.
KJ: Let’s talk about travelling, do you enjoy travelling?
R: Alot! I have always enjoyed travelling.
KJ: Which is the last place you visited?
R: Ahmedabad, which really wasn’t fun. They have incredible architecture, some really crazy buildings, so we had those as shooting locations. But it was incredible to see them. I love Europe. I like diving so I visited alot of sites which are underwater. But those have been incredible.
KJ: Are you big on adventure sports?
R: Not so much. But diving yes!
KJ: Which has been your favourite diving spot?
R: Last year I went to Galápagos, which is in South America. It’s one of the most amazing places to go diving. It was incredible.
KJ: What kind of a traveller are you?
R: I like to walk but I don’t like to go to touristy places. I walk alot in and around a place I go to. You discover so many things when you’re just walking across the city. You come across so many places, you stop at places, visit them and eat there. But I just like to explore a city by walking.
KJ: Are you experimental with the cuisine and your palate? Do you try out local food as well?
R: I try out local food for sure. But since I quit meat, my options have sort of changed. But I do try alot of different kinds of food. I do like to meet alot of local people when I travel, as that’s the best way to get to know any place.
KJ: What are the perks of being an actor?
R: Sometimes you don’t have to stand in queues. Sometimes you get really good food even if you’re travelling by economy on a plane. Sometimes you have gift hampers sent to you at your place.
KJ: Do you travel economy?
R: Lots of times! I go to London almost every month, and most of the times I buy the ticket 2 to 3 hours before I fly. My work dates are all over the place, so suddenly my work gets cancelled and I decide to travel. And then a business flight is ₹6 lakhs. Why would I do that? It’s absolutely illogical. I would never spend that much money for an 8-hour flight. So I buy it economy. I just don’t see status as an important thing. Status in many ways is made to provide that divide. It’s a power equation. And I don’t see any value in it. I’ve been told that I need to travel by business and I need to maintain that successful status because I’m an actor. And I find that discriminating and I find that very dangerous.