Radhika Apte: Used to do things because of FOMO

Radhika Apte

The lockdown offered her what a flourishing career in Mumbai had kept her from - uninterrupted quality time with husband Benedict Taylor. Radhika Apte has been only too happy to spend the past 10 months in the couple's London home, away from the frenetic pace of the film industry.

"This has been my longest holiday in London, since the years I was studying here. It was wonderful in the beginning as it gave me the time to focus on my health and hobbies, and to understand what I want to do ahead," begins Apte, adding that the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country have been a cause of concern. "Things have been quite difficult from December as the days are shorter. The COVID-19 cases too have [witnessed a spike]. That said, it is better to spend the lockdown here because there are green spaces around. I live next to a forest, so I would go out for walks during summer."

However, her unforeseen break is coming to an end as the actor will be India-bound next week. "I will begin shooting for a film titled Undercover that goes on floors in February," she says, refusing to divulge further details on the project. She also has the Apple TV series, Shantaram, in her kitty. Ask her about its progress, and she says, "I don't know anything on it yet."

The actor, who had releases in Raat Akeli Hai and A Call to Spy last year, was dubbed 'Queen of OTT' in a survey by the Indian Institute of Human Brands. As she returns to work, Apte asserts she is in no rush to sign more assignments. With the lockdown providing the opportunity to pause and introspect, she has learnt a valuable lesson. "During the pandemic, I realised that most of the time, we would do things because of FOMO [fear of missing out] and insecurity, and not because we want to do them. So, the best approach is not to say yes to every [project], and [not feel pressured to] keep working just because others are doing so."