Vedika Pinto: 'I Don't Begrudge Star Kids At All'

'I don't think they are at fault for where they are born or what they are allotted.'
'If anything, today it feels like being a star kid comes with its own set of assumptions and challenges, regardless of how talented you are.'

After nine years of trying her luck in showbiz, Vedika Pinto feels she's finally tasting success with Musafir Cafe.

The Netflix series, co-starring Vikrant Massey and Mahima Makwana, is winning hearts, and Vedika, who was previously seen in Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi, is thrilled.

"I'm allowing myself to enjoy it," Vedika tells Subhash K Jha, "but I'm equally excited about getting back to work and earning it all over again."

Musafir Cafe has earned you the sort of recognition that should have come your way long back. Are you elated?

Of course. It's surreal to know that so many people have watched you on screen and that something about your performance has stayed with them or moved them in some way. That's been the kind of validation I seek as an actor.

I'm also conscious of not getting too comfortable. Or worse, Complacent.

I'm allowing myself to enjoy it, but I'm equally excited about getting back to work and earning it all over again.

'I had to let go of my inhibitions'

You were exceptional in Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi. Were you devastated by its failure?

I remember you calling Nishaanchi Anurag's best work.

Was I devastated? Of course! I was heartbroken. I believed deeply in that film and in the sincerity and earnestness with which everybody made it. But with time, the heartbreak has faded and what's remained is immense gratitude.

I got to play Rinku. I got to be part of a film like Nishaanchi. That's something no box office result can take away from me.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't believe that, over time, the film will continue to find its audience.

Your item number in Nishaanchi was a killer. Was it tough?

I spent months consuming Sapna Chaudhary content. To me, that was the gold standard of what I was trying to achieve. But the rehearsals and choreography weren't particularly difficult.

The hardest part was the day of the shoot.

I knew it was a pandal dance sequence with an orchestra setup, but until I got there, I don't think I'd really processed the fact that I'd be standing on stage performing like that, alone, in front of hundreds of men.

That must have been really challenging.

I've grown up in a protected, sheltered environment. So in that moment, I had to move so far away from Vedika.

I had to let go of my inhibitions and at the risk of sounding dramatic, even the morals I had grown up with. That was the challenge.

But by the end of the day, I remember feeling strangely exhilarated. It almost felt like I'd rebelled against my own fears.

'I've always wanted to do a love story'

In comparison, Musafir Cafe seems like a cakewalk.

I wouldn't call it a cakewalk. I understand why it may seem that way because Rinku in Nishaanchi was far removed from who I am, whereas Sudha is someone I instinctively relate to. A huge part of that was my director Ruchir Arun. He gave me a lot of freedom and encouraged me to bring parts of Vedika into Sudha.

Sharanya Rajagopal, our writer, had written her with so much depth and tenderness, drawn from her own experiences.

Because Sharanya and I connected so deeply, finding Sudha became easier.

More than anything, I had an absolute blast creating Sudha. If I'm being honest, it probably has something to do with the confidence that Rinku and Anurag gave me as an actor.

What made you say yes to this project?

I've always wanted to do a love story. When I read the script, I felt there was so much for me to explore as an actor. Sudha had contradictions, vulnerability, humour, warmth, masti, chutzpah all of it!

And I really wanted to test myself in this genre.

On top of that, the writing was just beautiful. It stayed with me long after I'd finished reading it, and that's usually a very good sign.

'The hardest part was dealing with rejection, disappointment and failure'

Was it tough to wait so long for success while star kids have it easier?

Was it difficult to wait? Yes. But I don't think waiting for success was the hardest part.

The hardest part was dealing with rejection, disappointment and failure. Even more than that, it was living with uncertainty.

This profession is built on uncertainty.

You never really know how anything is going to turn out, and I think that's what tested my patience the most.

One thing I'm genuinely grateful to my younger self for is that I never spent time comparing my journey to somebody else's. I don't believe two careers are ever the same. Everyone has to carve out their own path, especially in this industry.

Honestly, I don't begrudge star kids at all. I don't think they are at fault for where they are born or what they are allotted. If anything, today it feels like being a star kid comes with its own set of assumptions and challenges, regardless of how talented you are.

Where do you go from here?

I feel like I have miles to go. This journey has been incredibly rewarding and has taught me so much, not just about acting, but about myself.

I hope I continue to grow with every project. With every project, new doors seem to open.

This is probably the first time I've tasted success, almost nine years later.

But instead of feeling like I've arrived, it makes me feel even hungrier. I think this is just the beginning.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff