Exclusive! “Puneri” Radhika Apte shows you her favourite Pune hotspots
See this quirky city through the eyes of its most beautiful citizen
It’s a sunny morning when, after a five-hour drive from Mumbai, I finally ring Puneite Radhika Apte’s door bell, not sure what mood she might be in, considering I made her wake up at 6am to travel to the city in the middle of her busy shoot schedule. 
As we walk around the campus, she notices the new developments. “It was not so sorted earlier, these trees weren’t there,” she says. “I went to Fergusson because I wanted to do Purushottam − an inter-college drama competition that was a really big deal back then. I’ve spent nights at the amphitheatre during rehearsals. The library of Fergusson is worth spending time in.” 
“Biryani!” she squeals, when we get to Blue Nile restaurant in Camp area. She swears by their chicken biryani and caramel custard. And that’s not all! Radhika tells us how Blue Nile used to be her favourite date spot. 
Irani cafés have a charm of their own. We wait for Apte to decide what to eat. “Eat the mutton keema here and tell me if you can get keema as good as this anywhere,” she states. Her husband, Benedict Taylor, also swears by it. 
It’s a silent, isolated lake, but this spot holds a special place in Radhika’s heart. When we reached the lake, it was almost time for it to be open to public. Should we go somewhere else? I ask. “Maushi, please!” Apte says to the caretaker. She nods, and Apte is happy to guide me to the spot. 
8. Bharat Natya Mandir: where the drama unfolds
