‘Faith in Good Cinema Has Been Restored’

After a slow start at the box office, Main Vaapas Aaunga has emerged as one of the year’s biggest word-of-mouth success stories. Actor Vedang Raina talks about the film’s remarkable turnaround, working with Sharvari, learning from Imtiaz Ali, and why the story resonated so deeply with his own family.

Excerpts from an interview:

Q How has Main Vaapas Aaunga changed the course of your career?

I don’t fully understand its impact yet. But it has restored my faith that if something is made with heart, audiences will eventually embrace it.

QWhen the film was released, it opened to poor collections. Did that disappoint you?

Most definitely. It was especially disappointing because everyone who had seen the film seemed genuinely moved by it and loved it.

QHow did you and the team keep the faith alive, and what was your reaction when the film turned around?

The team believed in the film even more than I did. They were convinced we had created something special. It took me a little longer, but I eventually accepted that our film was bigger than the box-office numbers. When audiences finally started coming in large numbers, I felt relieved more than anything else.

QWhat was it like shooting those emotionally intense scenes with Sharvari?

It was a pleasure. She’s a wonderful co-actor, and we get along really well. We’re both hardworking and passionate, so the rehearsal process was always productive. We also feed off each other’s energy very naturally.

QHow much have you learnt from Imtiaz Ali during this film?

Probably the most I’ve learnt from anyone. The entire experience of Main Vaapas Aaunga has been incredible because I’ve taken away lessons that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life — not just about acting, but about life itself. It was that kind of story.

QThough the film is set in Punjab, you come from Kashmir, another region scarred by conflict. Did that make the story especially personal?

Absolutely. My family went through the experience of migration too. We had to leave everything behind, believing we’d return soon. Instead, we lost everything. In that sense, Main Vaapas Aaunga struck a deeply personal chord. The longing to return never really goes away.

QYou play a man who waits 50 years to reunite with the love of his life. Do you think such enduring love exists today?

I think people underestimate how passionate this generation is. Every generation tends to view the next through a certain lens, but look at how Gen Z has shown up when it truly matters. There’s a depth to this generation that shouldn’t be overlooked. So yes, I absolutely believe we’re capable of that kind of love. Only the language of love has changed, not the emotion.

QHow will you ensure that the high standard you’ve set with Main Vaapas Aaunga continues?

I can’t guarantee that. All I can do is keep trying to improve with every film. I want to be part of stories that interest me, play characters that challenge me, and collaborate with filmmakers I genuinely connect with. The rest is in the hands of the audience.

“Sharvari is a wonderful co-actor and we get along really well. We’re both hardworking and passionate, so the rehearsal process was always productive. We also feed off each other’s energy very naturally.”