For actor Vedika Pinto, who recently found wider recognition with her performance as Sudha in Musafir Cafe, the success may look like an overnight turn in her career, but the journey behind it has taken a decade. As she looks back on the road that led her here, Pinto also reflects on choosing roles after Sudha and navigating the rumours that come with increased visibility.
The 30-year-old, who has previously appeared in the music video of Ritviz’s Liggi and films such as Operation Romeo (2022) and Gumraah (2023), says she now wants to be careful about not letting the success of one character dictate her choices. Pinto’s biggest heartbreak remains director Anurag Kashyap’s Nishaanchi (2025), in which she played Rinku. Because you know what, that’s just the game,” she says, but it’s okay,.
After playing Sudha, Pinto is consciously looking for roles that are different from what audiences have already seen her do. “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,” she shares. The actor is also keen to avoid being boxed into a particular kind of role. “Stars are very, very commonly stereotyped. After one character works really well, they will be like, ‘Oh, he can only do this. “I have had a series of characters that I have played that I am very proud of, but unfortunately, they have not resonated with the people. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that I am proud of them,” she shares. “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. “That’s a movie I am so proud of. I am so proud to be a part of that film. Rinku is such a special character to me. But unfortunately, it didn’t work, and people just didn’t resonate. Still, despite the film’s commercial failure, Pinto believes it played an important role in establishing her as an actor. With increased visibility has also come greater speculation about her personal life. Recently, reports emerged linking Pinto to actor Zeyn Shaw.
But I want to break that,” she says. Pinto says it is not the sole measure of a successful performance While commercial success matters to her. “People started recognising me as an actor because of that film,” she says, adding that the appreciation she received for her performance eventually helped her land the audition for Musafir Cafe. Asked how she reacts to such news and rumours when she reads about herself, Pinto says she has learnt not to let them affect her. “Why do we want to make those clickbaity headlines?” she asks. “If I can’t control it, I’m not going to get affected by it.”
