CHENNAI : Even though she was already three films into the Tamil film industry by then, it is perhaps Kaalai (2008), that made her a household name. Her dance performance alongside Simbu in ‘Kutti Pisase’, was a constant presence on television channels during the time of the film’s release. Sharing an anecdote about the song, Vedhika says, “Years ago, I met Prabhu Deva sir for the first time while he happened to be on my film’s set one day. I told him I was a big fan. He complimented my dance in ‘Kutti Pisase’ and it made me so happy to receive such a compliment from a legendary dancer like himself.” The actor then points out the charming “life comes a full circle” moment when she got to dance alongside Prabhu Deva in their upcoming film Petta Rap. She confessed to being initially nervous. “I had to be on the tip of my toes while dancing with him.” However, the actor worked hard to make sure that she could match the skills of her co-star. “I prepared a lot so I didn’t take many retakes while dancing with him. And thankfully, everything went smoothly and I think I did a good job,” she says.

While the recently released teaser would have us believe that Vedhika only exists in the film to shake a leg with Prabhu Deva, she says that her character is more than that. When asked to describe the character, the actor gives us an elusive reply. “There is no straight answer to that.” And yet, she tries, “I play a rockstar; a singing sensation. She is very passionate about music and dance. That is why you see a lot of dance sequences in the trailer.” Vedhika goes on to note how her character in Petta Rap is colourful and youthful, which is in stark contrast to her recent releases, Razakar and Yakshini, the latter being her streaming debut. On her role in Yakshini, the Disney+Hotstar series, Vedhika says it is her, “most performance-oriented role to date.” She adds, “I think I am late to streaming. A lot of my contemporaries had started their streaming debuts already. Streaming platforms take you to a wider audience.”

From commercial entertainers like Shivalinga (2016) and Kanchana 3 (2019), to intense period dramas like Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014) and Paradesi (2013), Vedhika’s filmography is filled with films of varying tonality. While the latter films helped boost her image as a performer, Vedhika reveals that she never set out to prove her acting skills in the first place. “After Paradesi, I started getting a lot of performance-oriented roles. Maybe because intense roles require a type of focus from the actors and directors believed I could do that after watching my performance in the film. However, I took up Paradesi only because I wanted to work with Bala sir and I am grateful he chose me for that role.”