Child actor Vaidehi Nair: 'Taapsee Pannu sings beautifully, loves to sing between shots on the sets'

She started her journey with a documentary on the murder of Aarushi Talwar at the age of 11. Vaidehi Nair is now set to be seen in a Bollywood film alongside Taapsee Pannu at the young age of 16. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Vaidehi talks about Taapse Pannu's singing skills, balancing shoot and studies, and much more. She scored 92% in her tenth boards which she cleared last year. (Also read | Taapsee Pannu: It is unfair to expect me to be drastically different in every film)

Vaidehi will soon be seen in Taapse's next film, Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan. The film also features Prateik Gandhi and Sanjana Sanghi. Vaidehi essays the role of Sanjana's younger sister in the film. Talking about her upcoming film, Vaidehi said, “It was a wonderful experience to get a chance to work with renowned artists. It was a dream come true for me to work with Taapsee and I learnt meticulous organising skills from her. She is down-to-earth and makes you comfortable. She thinks and understands things before doing something. I learnt that I must understand a scene before doing it. I can also discuss my doubts with the director if required. Taapsee sings beautifully and we were blessed that we could listen to her singing. (She would sing) between the shifting of the scenes. For eg, we reach the set in the morning, and the set is yet to get ready for shoot. Taapsee often sang during such times.”

Vaidehi added, “Prateik Gandhi is also very grounded and interacted with us in fun-loving manner. He even made reels with us.”

Vaidehi has worked in several fantasy Hindi TV shows including Tantra, RadhaKrishn and Brahmarakshas 2. Asked if she is scared to watch her own serial, Vaidehi claimed she is not scared at all. "I have often essayed roles above my age. I love watching myself onscreen. In fact, that is the one reason I took up acting. So, yes, I do watch my serials but I do so critically. So does my mom - she brings out my flaws in a positive manner and it has helped me in improving my performance a lot. I watch Brahmarakshas too. Since I was acting in the series, I was not scared at all. I believe such serials are made for entertainment alone. I do not believe in supernatural powers."

Vaidehi is currently in Class 11 at Mithibai College in Mumbai. Asked about the pressure of juggling studies at a crucial stage, and her profession, Vaidehi said, "I won't deny there have been moments when I felt the pinch. (I felt it) especially during my board exams. Having been good in academics throughout (my school), I wanted to score well (which I eventually did scoring 92.4% in boards). I was shooting for the COLORS TV show Sirf Tum at the time and balancing shoot and studies was a bit of a pressure situation for me. But with the help of my mom, I managed it well." She added that she never felt the need to change her profession, even when she faced rejections.

Recalling the time when a rejection really affected her, Vaidehi said, "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah was always close to my heart since childhood as I used to watch all the episodes of the show. I was very happy to be shortlisted for the audition and even make it to the mock shoot. When I could not make the final cut, I was disappointed, but life goes on. I always believe something better is awaiting me."

Talking about the experience of working in the documentary The Talwars: Behind Closed Doors, Vaidehi said, "It was not scary at all. I was just an 11-year-old who had to essay the role of a 14-year-old, and it was a murder mystery too. I was apprehensive, but I took my first HBO project as my first challenge. With the help of a great technical team, I eased into the role and learned a lot."