Then again, Vedang isn’t one to be subtle. Since the film came out, he’s made a point of putting an emotional thank-you on record for Imtiaz Ali, labelling this romance ‘a film that’s changed everything for me’. You’ve got critics on board, the box office being what it is, and fans who are all over his most unguarded post in a while.
Vedang’s message hits a nerve
He was open about it in an Instagram note, going back to where it began. ‘I was 19, I had an audition and I came home and told my parents: this is what makes me feel alive… It’s 2 and a half years since I put my foot in this industry.’
There’s a line in there that’s been making the rounds: ‘Perhaps it’s a bit soon to say, but Main Vaapas Aaunga has been a game-changer for me.’ And the kudos for Imtiaz are plain to see: ‘thanks for having me on this ride and for making me your Keenu… There is a purity to this film that is hard to come by.’
BTS glimpses that fans replayed
Vedang put up some stills from the set to go with the feeling of it, like a little scrapbook of a performance. You’ll see him in a turban with a satchel, or with Sharvari, or in the company of Naseeruddin Shah, who is the older version of his part.
There’s also a shot from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The crew was all over Punjab for it, and it was the first time Vedang donned a turban for the camera. That’s the sort of thing fans will zero in on when they see an actor in a new gear.
What the film is about
You have a 95-year-old who has a stroke in the middle of a trip to Pakistan. In the space between being with it and not, his grandson has to put together the story of a pre-Partition life and the kind of regret that won’t let you rest.
It’s a love story with borders on either side, and it’s got a top-tier cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin, Vedang, Sharvari, and an AR Rahman score. 1947 is the stage, and the story is as much about loss and coming to terms with it as anything else.
Praise, pressure, and the numbers
Those who have seen it early on are talking about the emotion and the music. The trade is a little more reserved, but at Rs 8 crore in five days, it’s holding its own for a drama of this calibre.
It’s not an easy lane, either; it has to make room for Kangana’s Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata and Manoj Bajpayee’s Governor. So the good word of mouth is worth something right now.
Here is how he put it:
– I love what I do. I feel alive.
– I am driven to keep working and perfecting.
– Thank you for showering us with so much love.
Why Vedang’s gratitude matters now
Read between the lines and his caption is a statement of intent. He made sure to name-check the likes of Naseer, Diljit, AR, Irshad Kamil and Sharvari. The nod to Imtiaz is a sign of respect for a set that was as tough as it was close.
With the photos and his words, you get a sense of the film’s pulse. For anyone with a 1947 in their family history, this kind of story is going to ring true. He ends on a note of moving forward: ‘And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.’
What comes next
Vedang says he is as fired up as ever to put in the work. The film is out, and if his post is to be believed, he is ready to put even more of himself into it.
Judging by the response to this, people will be on to his next one in no time.
