Language is no more a barrier in cinema, says Vijetha Vasist

Despite coming from a Kannada film family, Vijetha Vasist’s acting debut was in Tamil cinema. “I always thought my first role would be in Kannada, but things didn’t work out that way,” she reveals. “I auditioned many times and faced rejections here. But, the Tamil film industry has been so welcoming. It’s incredible how language is no longer a barrier in the world of cinema anymore,” says the young actress, who is currently shooting for another Tamil film in Chennai, with one more in the pipeline.

‘MY DAD HAS NEVER APPROACHED ANYONE TO GIVE ME WORK’ Nepotism, she tells us, has never been a factor in her career. “Being (Kannada filmmaker) AMR Ramesh’s daughter, I believe I could have entered Kannada cinema much earlier if my father had sought opportunities for me. But he’s never asked anyone to give me work, and I know he never will. Every role I’ve secured has been through auditions and hard work,” she says.

‘EVEN AS AN OUTSIDER IN THE TAMIL FILM INDUSTRY, I’VE NEVER FELT EXCLUDED’ “Everyone in the Tamil industry is respectful and welcoming. Even as an outsider there, I’ve never felt excluded. Everyone is professional, from the director to the junior staff — they come, work, and go home,” says Vijetha “In this film, I play an evil doctor who is also the female protagonist. I’ve also just signed another film with Vijay Milton sir,” she adds.

‘AT ONE POINT, I TRIED VARIOUS SKIN-LIGHTENING METHODS’ “I used to feel my dusky complexion might be the reason for some of the rejections I faced,” Vijetha says. “At one point, I even tried various skin-lightening methods, hoping it would help, but it didn’t. I’ve since learned to accept myself, and thankfully, my skin tone hasn’t been an issue in the Tamil film industry,” she adds.

‘PAYMENT IS A FORM OF RESPECT — YOU PAY ARTISTES BECAUSE YOU VALUE THEIR WORK’ Vijetha tells us, “Right now, my focus is on securing good roles; pay is secondary. However, I have a rule: I don’t work for free. I’m not asking for huge sums, but I believe in being compensated for my work. Ultimately, you can’t put a price on an artist. Payment is a form of respect— you pay artistes because you value their work, right?”

‘CINEMA AND THEATRE ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT’ “Having a theatre background definitely helps with getting into character. However, cinema is a very different experience, and I’m still getting used to that. Despite the differences, I must say that I love both worlds,” says Vijetha.