CHENNAI: Vedhika is bound for Kerala for work. But she spares some time to talk to us with some interesting updates. “I am shooting for a couple of Tamil projects,” she begins. The actor divulges about the genres of these films and adds, “One is a horror film and another belongs to the fantasy genre. I’m on the verge of completing these projects. One of the characters in these films challenged me and made me push my boundaries. I had to put in quite a lot of hard work. The audience will know when it releases. All I can say is, this is a first-of-itskind character for me. It was indeed demanding.”
Vedhika’s longevity across industries could be mainly attributed to her choice of scripts. She has been bold enough to choose mass commercial entertainers like Muni, Kanchana 3 and Kaalai while also signing films like Paradesi, Kaaviya Thalaivan, Razakkar and Yakshini— a web series. “The thing is I don’t shy away from playing experimental roles. Neither do I feel stereotyped when a commercial, mass film or a horror film is offered to me. When makers think of me for such powerful, strongly-written characters, I feel that they believe that Vedhika could take such huge responsibility and do justice to these roles. Most of the roles I have played in my career are demanding, they come with a lot of commitment,” the actor tells us.
She was last seen playing a cameo in the Malayalam film Aadu 3 for the dance number titled Sulthaan. The song went on to become viral and was another feather in her cap. “As an actor I feel that I need to do everything. In fact, such dance numbers require a lot of energy. A commercial film like Kanchana 3 or an Aadu 3 is as important as an experimental, art film like a Paradesi or a Kaaviya Thalaivan or the next Tamil project like I had mentioned before. Why because, being a part of commercial films or a dance number comes across as a relief while shooting for actors. It is the performance-oriented roles that have given me the longevity but I enjoy dancing as well. Kanchana 3 and Aadu 3 grossed Rs 150 crore at the box-office.” Divulging more on Sulthaan in Aadu 3, Vedhika remarks, “It received tremendous response. The song not only has clocked 8 million views on YouTube in short span but the love Sulthaan received from the audience is huge. I even posted videos of the audience dancing for the song in theatres on my social media.”
Having been a part of films across industries and making a mark in OTT as well with her series, Yakshini, Vedhika feels stories have broken the medium and the language barriers lately. “A lot of people, regardless of the language, watch us across the globe. Yakshini released in nine languages and my other south films have received love from the Hindi audience too. So, good content is being watched everywhere. As an actor, I need to be choosy— which I have always been, about the films I sign for. I need to give them good content. Also, these days, female centric stories too have increased. Back in 2012-13, female leads’ character arcs were written in a predictable manner. Now, there is a lot of scope and there are well-written stories with female actors in lead roles, which have done well in theatres too. I guess, the tag of ‘female-centric’ is just a myth now,” Vedhika elaborates.
Vedhika feels her job is not even half done yet despite working across genres and industries. When asked about a dream role, she says, To be a part of Sridevi ma’am’s biopic. Apart from that I have always felt that there are lots left to experiment.” Her social media crashes everytime she posts a pic or a story. With over 4 million followers, she says, “I have been privileged to get so much love from them. It is my way of reciprocating all the love my fans and followers have showered throughout my career.”