One of the most noted Marathi actors of the era, Vinay Apte worked in the Hindi and Marathi film industries for almost four decades. Beginning his acting career with Marathi plays in 1974, his first play as an actor Mitrachi Goshta was directed by one of the most celebrated Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar. Apte later went on to star in movies such as Kalyug (1981), Chandni Baar (2001), Corporate (2006), Dhamaal (2007), Jogwa (2009), Lalbaug Paral (2010), and Chakravyuh (2012). Apte died on 7th December 2013 due to multiple organ failures at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Mumbai.
Several of his movies were released posthumously including Madhubala - Ek Ishq Junoon (2014), Gour Hari Dastaan (2015), and Dhondi (2017).