Musafir Cafe’s Vedika Pinto: Why do we want to make those clickbaity headlines?

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 series’ success significantly raised Pinto’s profile, making her journey seem like an overnight success. But Pinto quickly corrects that perception. “Overnight success? No. It took 10 years,” she says, adding, “One was done overnight — everything, like in terms of recognition. But it didn’t happen overnight. It took 10 years.” For her, every opportunity has been connected to the one before it. “Every one thing will lead to another,” she adds.

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. 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.

Pinto admits that initially, she thought she should stick to the genre that had worked for her. However, the success of Musafir Cafe and the confidence it brought have given her the freedom to experiment. “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. And maybe some things will work, maybe some things won’t,” she says.

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.’ But I want to break that,” she says. While commercial success matters to her, Pinto says it is not the sole measure of a successful performance. “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.”

Pinto’s biggest heartbreak remains director Anurag Kashyap’s Nishaanchi (2025), in which she played Rinku. “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. But it’s okay, because you know what, that’s just the game,” she says. Still, despite the film’s commercial failure, Pinto believes it played an important role in establishing her as an actor. “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.

With increased visibility has also come greater speculation about her personal life. Recently, reports emerged linking Pinto to actor Zeyn Shaw. 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.”