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Vedika Pinto: I have rejected roles similar to Sudha from Musafir Cafe, I don’t want to break that image
With Musafir Cafe’s popularity giving her a safety net, Vedika Pinto wants to use the momentum to take on challenging, so as to break the stereotype
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Vedika Pinto is still basking in the success of Musafir Cafe, but the actor is already conscious of not letting the show’s popularity dictate the kind of roles she takes on next. In fact, Pinto reveals that she recently rejected a role because it was similar to Sudha, the character that has brought her considerable love and recognition. For her, the success of one character should not mean being confined to the same mould.
“Initially, right after Musafir Cafe released, when I was getting all that love, I felt like I should stick to maybe this genre because clearly people are enjoying me in this and it’s working for me,” she says. However, she soon realised that she wanted to use the momentum to challenge herself rather than replicate what had already worked.
“I also feel like I have the liberty to pick a choice that challenges me as an actor. So right now, what’s exciting to me is to do something that is quite polarising to Sudha,” Pinto says.
She believes this is particularly important in an industry where actors can quickly become associated with one successful character. “Sudha is like a tried and tested character who people have loved, and my pursuit is to keep her alive. I have the opportunity to do that with Musafir Cafe season two. But I think that will also help me because in our industry, stars are very, very commonly stereotyped. After one character works really well, they will be like, ‘Oh, he can only do this.’ But I want to break that,” she says.
Pinto sees the continuation of Sudha in Musafir Cafe season two as a safety net that allows her to take more risks with the other work she chooses. “There is a safety net. But if I have that safety net, then let’s have some fun also. I really just want to push myself. I have to see what is possible. Maybe some things will work, maybe some things won’t,” she says.
The response to Musafir Cafe has also brought Pinto a phase of her career she has not experienced before, with work becoming more consistent. “Up until now, I didn’t have constant work. So this is the first time in my career and I’m hoping it’s feeling like now the ball is rolling. This is what life is going to be like,” she says. At the same time, she admits that the pace can be overwhelming. “It’s hectic, it’s crazy, it’s chaotic, it’s a lot of fun, but you do feel the scarcity.
Pinto says the recognition is meaningful, but what matters more to her is what she can do with it. “While I definitely want to grow and build and be liked and loved by people and all of that, I also do want to hone my craft. I want to be known as a good actor,” she says.
