When Nikkhil Advani decides to tell a story, it goes beyond mere box office ambitions, exploring themes that resonate and leave a lasting impact on audiences. His latest film, Vedaa, inspired by true events, confronts the realities of caste-based atrocities. The movie, featuring John Abraham, Sharvari Wagh and Abhishek Banerjee, has been appreciated for its bold narrative and powerful performances.
Discussing what led to the making of Vedaa, Nikkhil shares, “I realised that discussions around the Dalit community were largely confined to echo chambers. These conversations need to break into the mainstream. My goal was to start a dialogue. Seeing the reactions to the film has been extremely gratifying. I hope more people watch Vedaa and understand why we felt it was such a relevant story to tell.”
Sharvari adds, “Vedaa is a film with a lot of heart and the right intentions. It is a story of a girl fighting for equality, justice, and what is right. Her journey is fuelled by hope, a universal emotion. The role was challenging both physically and emotionally. It has been an honour to play such a powerful role in a narrative that sparks important conversations. I’m incredibly proud of the film and what it has accomplished.” The ticket cost has been reduced to make the film more acccessible to the audience. The prices range between Rs 90 to Rs 150 at various theatres.
Given the atrocities faced by both genders due to caste-based discrimination, ask Nikkhil why he chose to focus on a woman’s story, and he replies, “I felt it would be more powerful to depict Vedaa’s journey from a girl who is constantly silenced to a woman who finally stands up and seeks justice through the legal system. It was essential for the protagonist to be a woman, as Vedaa’s journey is an empowering narrative for women.”
Vedaa’s character continues to stay with Sharvari even after the film’s release. “Through this journey, Vedaa and I have almost merged into one person. Her story is filled with grit and bravery. There have been many moments where I asked myself, ‘What would Vedaa do?’ and it gave me courage. It’s a character that has left a lasting impact on me,” she concludes.
Directed by Nikkhil Advani and written by Aseem Arrora, Vedaa is produced by Zee Studios, Umesh Kr Bansal, Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani, and John Abraham, and co-produced by Minnakshi Das. Presented by Zee Studios, Emmay Entertainment, and JA Entertainment, the action thriller released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The Emmay Entertainment production is running in cinemas near you.