Vaani Kapoor opens up about surviving Bollywood as an outsider: 'Don't have chachas, chachis to root for you'

Vaani Kapoor shares her experiences as an outsider in Bollywood, emphasizing the need to be your own cheerleader without influential support.

In an industry known for its close-knit cliques and family legacies, actor Vaani Kapoor spoke candidly about her journey as an outsider in Bollywood. The War actor opened up about navigating the film industry without the safety net of influential relatives or a support system.

Vaani Kapoor credits Yash Raj Films for believing in her and ensuring professionalism in the industry. (PTI)

‘You have to be your biggest cheerleader’

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Vaani, who started her career in 2013 with Shuddh Desi Romance along with Sushant Singh Rajput and Parineeti Chopra, said, "You have to be your biggest cheerleader in this industry. Especially when you are an outsider and don't have a support system. You don't have uncles and aunties and chachas and chachis who care for us and root for us. I'm also bad at networking."

Vaani credits Yash Raj Films (YRF), the studio that launched her, for being a game-changer in her life. "The people and the studio that found me — Yash Raj — are the ones who believed in me. They’ve been like a family. Any actor who signs up with them will vouch for it — you feel protected, like you're in the right hands."

She also touched on the industry’s darker side, noting that she never experienced the casting couch — something she attributes to the professionalism and security she found at YRF. Talking about Shanoo Sharma, Vaani mentioned how she comforted her family to help them the decision to send their child to a new city and start a career in the film industry.

Vaani Kapoor's latest work

Vaani Kapoor is gearing up for the release of her latest project, Mandala Murders, a gripping crime thriller series in which she plays a sharp and determined investigative officer. The show, co-directed by Mardaani filmmaker Gopi Puthran and Manan Rawat, delves into a string of chilling, ritualistic murders.

According to IMDb, the official synopsis reads: "In a quaint, mysterious town of Charandaspur, where fate, myth, and murder entwine, detectives Rea Thomas and Vikram Singh unravel a chilling conspiracy of ritualistic killings tied to a centuries-old secret society."

The ensemble cast also includes Surveen Chawla, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Jameel Khan. Mandala Murders will premiere on Netflix on July 25.