From charming audiences as Reggie in The Archies to sharing screen space with actors like Alia Bhatt in Jigra, Vedang Raina’s rise has been steady, quiet, and incredibly promising. However, becoming a lead character in a film that is directed by the legendary filmmaker Imtiaz Ali will be an entirely new area for the young actor. The film ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’, directed by Ali, takes place in the time frame of the Partition of India and follows the story of love, longing, and belonging across all the ages and with this film, the young actor seems to be stepping into an entirely new space, one filled with longing, nostalgia and the emotional intensity that audiences often associate with filmmaker Imtiaz Ali.
‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ stars Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina in the lead roles. The film is set against a backdrop of the Partition era and promises to provide viewers with love, longing, and belonging rooted in Partition-era migration, while also examining how memories shape identity across time.
The film will not only be another project on Vedang’s ever-growing filmography; he will portray a generation he has only heard about through stories.
Although it was not easy for the actor to develop and recreate the emotional and behavioural aspects of the character during the 1940s while developing the role, the process was both honourable and good for him. “Like I said earlier, my generation is probably the first generation that has no colonial hangover or Partition hangover. Whatever I know about Partition, I’ve only heard through stories from my parents and grandparents. I’ve never personally experienced it, so that makes it very interesting,” he shared in a group interview with Marksmen Daily.
He further explained how understanding people from that era came more from imagination, conversations, and reading than direct references. “A lot of understanding comes from conversations and reading books because there’s very little video footage available from that era. So you can only imagine what people might have been like back then. Imtiaz sir is extremely well-researched.”
Interestingly, Vedang also created a playlist of songs from the 1940s to better understand the world his character belonged to. “I made a playlist of songs from 1947 and even before that, popular music from that time. There was a lot of Western influence in the music, too, which people often forget,” he said, while speaking about how language, etiquette, and lifestyle were very different during that period.
The actor also spoke about the pressure of stepping into a film led by veterans like Naseeruddin Shah and Diljit Dosanjh. In Main Vaapas Aaunga, Vedang reportedly plays the younger version of Naseeruddin Shah’s character, making the responsibility even bigger. “I did feel the pressure when I was cast. I did feel the pressure when I heard I’m playing the younger version of Naseer sir… definitely I took that pressure as a responsibility, and I hope people are happy,” he had said at the trailer launch event.
However, Vedang believes performances work best when actors avoid imitation and instead focus on honesty. “I don’t know if I copied anyone. In fact, when you try to copy someone, the charm gets lost because people start seeing another person in your performance instead of the character.”
The admiration he has for his co-stars and seniors is also evident in the way he speaks about them. Recalling his experience of meeting actors he had looked up to for years, Vedang admitted he was nervous throughout. “There was definitely pressure because I’ve been a huge fan of theirs for a long time. When I used to prepare for auditions, I would watch their videos and acting masterclasses. So when I finally met them, I was extremely nervous.”
Main Vaapas Aaunga also marks another collaboration between Imtiaz Ali, A.R. Rahman, and Irshad Kamil – a combination known for creating deeply emotional cinematic experiences. This collaboration, like those before it, will produce yet another film that will offer similarly emotionally based cinematic narratives. The trailer of the movie, which was released a few days ago, has generated quite a buzz online, and many people are enjoying its nostalgic story and also finding praise for Vedang’s performance.
Main Vaapas Aaunga, which will open on June 12, 2026, is likely to mark a big moment in Vedang Raina’s career; it will not only solidify his place as a new actor but also allow him to become an artist who is able to step into emotionally layered stories in his performances with confidence.
