The upcoming film 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated romantic dramas of the year, with actors Vedang Raina and Sharvari Wagh opening up about the intense preparation, emotional depth and creative experience of working under filmmaker Imtiaz Ali.
Speaking to ANI, Vedang Raina said the role has been the most challenging of his career so far, as he portrays a Sikh character from the 1940s for the first time, which required extensive research. "This is my first time playing a Sikh character who belongs to the 1940s. It took a lot of effort, research and reading with Imtiaz sir," Vedang said, adding, "I hope that people like the movie and the character."
The actor further elaborated on the scale of preparation involved in playing Keenu, calling it his "most difficult role" in terms of effort and time invested. "This is the first time I have played such a character, a Sikh character, a Punjabi character and a character from the 1940s. It took a lot of hard work, a lot of research, a lot of readings with Imtiaz sir," he said. "And I think preparation-wise, this will be the most difficult role for me in terms of how much time it took, how much hard work it took."
Vedang also revealed that the film marks the first time he has portrayed a lover on screen, adding another layer of unfamiliarity to the role. "This is my first film in which I have played the role of a lover. So that was also a different thing for me," he said.
The actor spoke extensively about Imtiaz Ali's directing process, praising the filmmaker for focusing on emotional truth rather than external performance cues. "He has a very unique way of directing," Vedang shared, adding, "He doesn't play on expression. He plays on emotions."
According to Vedang, Imtiaz Ali would often spend several minutes speaking to him before a shot to help him emotionally connect with the scene. "He used to talk to me for 5-10 minutes before each shot. That's what things are going on in your mind. In which phase of your life are you now. What things are you seeing around you," he said.
Calling the experience deeply rewarding, Vedang added, "I say I am spoiled. Because an actor can't ask for more than this."
A key aspect of the film is Vedang's connection with veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, as he portrays the younger version of a character later played by Shah. He further revealed that portraying the younger version of a character brought immense pressure.
Describing his first meeting with the veteran actor, Vedang said he was overwhelmed with nervousness. "It was not about pride. It was just nervousness," he admitted, adding, "I remember when I met Naseer sir for the first time. My hands were shaking."
The actor recalled visiting Naseeruddin Shah with a notebook and pen, approaching the meeting as a student eager to learn from a master performer. "For me, he is a legend. But for me, he is also a teacher," Vedang said, adding that he had watched several of Shah's acting masterclasses during his audition years.
Interestingly, Vedang said the conversations between the two actors became a collaborative exchange about the same character across different timelines. "He wanted to know how I am watching this character. So that 78 years later, he also has those things in his mind," he shared.
Vedang also spoke warmly about his co-star Sharvari Wagh, comparing her real-life personality to her on-screen character Jia. "There is a special similarity between the two," he said, adding, "Sharvari is also very bubbly. Like Jia in real life."
Discussing the central romance between Keenu and Jia, Vedang said the film captures an innocence associated with love stories of an earlier era. "The language of love has changed," he observed, adding, "There was a saying of that time, that you should get a glimpse of someone, to see someone from the balcony and to be happy."
"Now it is the era of texting, Snapchat and Instagram," he said, adding, "So I think it is a very pure, innocent love story."
Sharvari Wagh, meanwhile, described being cast in an Imtiaz Ali film as a long-held dream fulfilled. "It is a big deal for me to be a part of Main Vaapas Aaunga because first of all, Imtiaz sir is directing this film," she said.
The actor revealed that she had publicly spoken in earlier interviews about her desire to work with Ali because of the way he writes female characters. "The female characters he writes in his films are very complex and he writes them with a lot of love," Sharvari said, adding, "Whenever I saw his films before this, I always wanted to play such a character."
Sharvari also recounted how she proactively reached out to the filmmaker even before the project was formally discussed. "I messaged him. I reached out to him that sir I would love to audition for your film. Please do a look test, I really want to be a part of your film," she said.
She recalled anxiously travelling for a second meeting with the director, hoping it would finally be about the film rather than another long discussion about food, something she joked had dominated their first meeting. "When he told me the story, there was no question of me saying yes or no," Sharvari said.
The actor described her character Jia as central to the film's mystery and emotional journey. "This film is about this character, about a girl about whom all the other characters are looking for her," she explained, adding, "As the film progresses, you get to know more about her."
Sharvari added that the film unfolds partly through memories connected to Naseeruddin Shah's character. "In the film, the role that Naseer sir is playing, in his memory, you see the whole journey of Jiah," she said.
Like Vedang, Sharvari also underwent extensive preparation to portray a character from the 1940s. "I saw a lot of old films. I saw a lot of old songs actually," she said, adding, "How the actors of that time used to perform, how their eyes used to twinkle, there were a lot of specific things of that time and period."
She further praised Naseeruddin Shah, calling him "an acting school in itself." "I was very nervous, actually, when I was working with him on the first day," Sharvari admitted, adding, "But suddenly something changed in his eyes when we went to do the scene and I myself was shocked."
The actress also reflected on the atmosphere during the Punjab shoot schedule, where the cast and crew celebrated Diwali together. "The atmosphere was like that of a family," she said, crediting Imtiaz Ali's calm and caring nature for creating a warm environment on set.
Speaking about audience reactions, Sharvari said she hopes viewers walk away remembering the feeling of first love. "I hope that people have a smile on their faces," she said, adding, "I hope people take that feeling or remember their first love."
Meanwhile, the trailer of 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' was unveiled on May 19. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film stars Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina, and Sharvari Wagh. The trailer moves between present-day conversations and a flashback romance set against the backdrop of Partition, highlighting themes of love, memory, and generational trauma.
The project also reunites composer AR Rahman, lyricist Irshad Kamil, and Imtiaz Ali, a creative collaboration known for delivering several acclaimed film soundtracks over the years.
Produced by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment along with Mohit Choudhary and Shibasish Sarkar of Window Seat Films, 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' is scheduled to release in theatres on June 12. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
