Just days after Deepika Padukone’s departure from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s SpiritRadhika Apte has opened up about the challenges faced by new mothers in the film industry, revealing that she was working right up until the day before she went into labour. Radhika Apte, celebrated for her bold performances and fearless choices in both Hindi and regional cinema, has always embraced roles with unapologetic conviction.
In December 2024, she welcomed her baby girl and is now opening up about the challenges of balancing motherhood with a demanding career. Speaking candidly, Radhika revealed that she had barely any maternity break and is already feeling the strain on her physical and mental health. Her reflections come just days after Deepika Padukone’s departure from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spiritwith Radhika shedding light on her own journey navigating the film industry as a new mother.
Radhika’s pregnancy captured public attention when she graced the BAFTA Awards red carpet last year, radiant with joy as her film Sister Midnight earned a nomination for Outstanding Debut. Remarkably, just a week after welcoming her baby girl in December 2024, the actress was already back to work, joining Zoom meetings while breastfeeding, as she candidly shared in a powerful Instagram post.
Even while she was pregnant, Radhika remained dedicated to her work, submitting a script draft just a day before going into labor. In a recent conversation with SCREEN from London, the actress shared her thoughts on whether the film industry supports the needs of new mothers. Radhika voiced her concerns on the issue and stated: “I don’t think they are. I don’t know how I’m going to navigate that going ahead… It’s really difficult to work in our film industry, given the number of hours and how we film generally, and the time for which we don’t get to see the child. So I guess I’ll just have to figure it out now.”
Radhika Apte’s comments come amid growing conversations in Bollywood about professional flexibility for new parents. Recently, Deepika Padukone reportedly stepped away from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit after her request for an eight-hour workday was declined. Meanwhile, actors like Saif Ali Khan and Ajay Devgn have also voiced support for shorter work hours and placing greater emphasis on family life.
At a recent trailer launch event for MaaAjay Devgn weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding the demand for an 8-hour work shift for new mothers. The Raid 2 actor suggested that such requests are often not well received within the film industry. However, he added that this shouldn’t be the case, especially when it comes to “honest filmmakers.” He remarked: “It’s not that it’s not going down well with people. Most of the honest filmmakers will not have problems with it.”
Not just Ajay Devgn, but Saif Ali Khan also voiced his support for the importance of actors spending more time with their families. Speaking at the recent Arab Media Summit, Saif opened up about the challenges of balancing his professional responsibilities with quality family time. He shared how the long working hours often mean he returns home only to find his children, Taimur and Jeh, already asleep. In his words:
“I hate coming home and seeing the kids already asleep. That’s not success. Success is being able to say, ‘No, I need to go home now to catch that half hour with them.’ We get four holidays a year, and when my kids are on break, I don’t work. That time is sacred… Working is important, yes. But so is cooking pasta together, having a meal, and focusing on the kids. That’s the real glue of life. Success and privilege, for me, is being able to say no to work and yes to time with my family.”
