Radhika Apte reveals she was ‘treated horribly’ during her first film, claims she wasn’t paid by the producers, debut film was…

In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, it’s usually the picture-perfect lives of celebrities that take the forefront. However, the challenges and struggles that happen behind the surface don’t make it to the spotlight. One such situation was with the actress Radhika Apte. Known for carving a distinct space for herself in India(BHARAT)n cinema with her versatility across films, web series and international projects, she recently spoke about the initial challenges she faced when she entered the industry. In a recent interaction, she spoke about her traumatic debut experience and how she prefers to forget her first film.

‘The awful producers didn’t put me up, didn’t pay me’

In an interaction, Radhika spoke about the challenges she faced in her initial days. Speaking honestly about what she went through, the actor said, “The awful producers didn’t put me up, didn’t pay me. When my mother and I asked them to sign a contract, they said, ‘Arey even Urmila Matondkar didn’t sign a contract. I don’t know if she signed or not,’ but they treated us horribly.”

She further clarified that while her experience with the production was distressing, she had nothing but respect for Mahesh Manjrekar. “Mahesh Manjrekar was a great guy. That’s why I like to forget my film because the production was awful! And I say it out loud,” she shared candidly.

How Radhika Got Her First Role?

Radhika, who played a supporting role in the film, also spoke about how she landed in her first role. Recalling her theatre background, she said, “I was doing a play called Brain Surgeon. It was a good play, and we won an award in a state competition. Mahesh Manjrekar was one of the judges. He called me after the play and said, ‘I want to cast you.’”

She added that she did not continue working in films immediately after that. “Then I didn’t do a film for a long time. I finished college, and then I went back to films after a long time. So, I don’t really count that as one of the films I did. But yeah, it’s been two decades.”

Radhika Apte On Her Debut Film

Radhika also admitted that she prefers to forget her debut film, Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!, which featured Shahid Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Amrita Rao and Arshad Warsi, among others. The actor explained that the poor production experience overshadowed everything else, making it a chapter she would rather not remember.
Present success with Saali Mohabbat

Currently, Radhika is creating a lot of buzz for her performance in Saali Mohabbat, a psychological thriller that premiered on ZEE5 on December 12, 2025. Directed by Tisca Chopra in her feature directorial debut, the film has earned acclaim at festivals including the International Film Festival of India(BHARAT) (IFFI) and the Chicago South Asian Film Festival.