Veronica Vanij on Rejection, Reinvention & Her Defining Role

1.⁠ ⁠Your entry into Bollywood wasn’t backed by a godfather or a production house. What was that very first “yes” moment  the one that made you believe, “I belong here”?

A: It wasn’t a single moment, honestly. It was a series of silent victories — small auditions, callbacks, moments of hope that no one saw but me. I think belonging isn’t something the world gives you; it’s something you give yourself. The day I stopped trying to fit in and started showing up as myself, that’s when I truly belonged.

2.⁠ ⁠You’ve often spoken about preparation  not perfection. Can you walk us through how you mentally and physically prepare before stepping into a completely new character?

A: Preparation for me is an emotional ritual. I dive into the psychology of the character — what she fears, what she hides, what she wishes someone would tell her. I study her silence as much as her dialogues. When you know her truth, performance becomes an extension of empathy, not ego.

3.⁠ ⁠Was there a particular audition or rejection that completely changed your approach to acting? Something that redefined your hunger for this craft?
A: Yes, and I’m grateful for it now. I was once told I “don’t look like the heroine type.” It stung, but it also woke me up. I realized the industry might have definitions, but art doesn’t. That rejection taught me that I don’t need to change myself to be seen — I need to be so authentic that I become undeniable.

4.. You gained weight for a recent role  something not many young actresses dare to do in this “perfect-body” culture. What made you say yes to that transformation, and what did it teach you about yourself?

A: Because the story mattered more than vanity. The character I was playing wasn’t meant to look perfect; she was meant to feel real. I wanted to honor her truth. In doing that, I discovered something beautiful — my worth isn’t tied to a number on the scale, it’s tied to how deeply I can surrender to a role.

5.⁠ ⁠After completing that role, how did you manage to get back to your original fitness routine  both physically and emotionally?

A: Honestly, it took time  and a lot of compassion toward myself. I didn’t rush the process or punish my body for doing its job. Physically, I eased back into movement with yoga, Pilates, and mindful eating. I focused on rebuilding strength, not shrinking myself.
But the emotional part was even more important. When you change your body for a role, it impacts how you see yourself. I had to remind myself that I’m more than a number on a scale  I’m an artist who transforms for her craft. So I practiced patience, gratitude, and balance.
Getting back wasn’t about bouncing back  it was about moving forward with more awareness, more self-love, and a deeper respect for what my body can do when I trust it completely.

6.. What’s one scene from your career so far that still lives rent-free in your mind  maybe because it demanded more of you than you expected?

A: One that demanded I confront parts of myself I had buried — the insecurities, the vulnerability, the fear of not being enough. That role reminded me that acting isn’t just performance; it’s therapy. Every time I play someone broken, I end up healing a part of myself.

 7.⁠ ⁠You’re known to be spiritual yet ambitious  how do you draw a line between surrendering to destiny and taking control of your path?

A: Through trust. I do my best, but I don’t cling. I’ve learned that what’s meant for you will never need you to beg for it. I surrender to timing but stay fiercely loyal to effort. That balance keeps me sane — and strangely, it keeps me magnetic too.

 8.⁠ ⁠What kind of script immediately makes you say yes  is it the character’s strength, her silence, her flaws, or something else entirely?

A:It’s always the truth of the character that pulls me in  not her strength or her beauty, but her honesty. I’m drawn to stories where a woman isn’t perfect, where she has cracks, contradictions, and courage all at once.
Her silence can be as powerful as her dialogue, and her flaws can be more expressive than her victories. I say yes when a script makes me feel something  when I find a part of myself in her, or when she challenges me to see the world differently.
For me, it’s never about how big the role is; it’s about how deeply it speaks. If a character’s journey stirs my soul  even for a moment  that’s my “yes.”

 9.⁠ ⁠If you weren’t an actress today, what career would you have chosen  and do you think you’d still be as passionate about it?

A: Probably something in psychology or design — both require observation, creativity, and empathy. I’ve always been fascinated by what drives human emotion, so even if I weren’t acting, I’d still be studying people in some form.

10.. Every actor dreams of one “career-defining” role. Do you think you’ve already met yours, or is it still waiting for you somewhere in a script you haven’t read yet?

A: I think it’s still waiting for me  somewhere in a script that will probably find me when I’m ready for it. Every role I’ve done so far has taught me something, shaped me a little more, peeled back another layer of who I am as an artist and as a woman.

But a career-defining role… that’s something that doesn’t just change how people see you — it changes how you see yourself. I know it’s out there, waiting for that perfect intersection of timing, trust, and truth.

Until then, I’m building toward it  one performance, one risk, one heartbeat at a time. And when it arrives, I’ll recognize it — not because it’ll be grand, but because it’ll feel honest.

11.. Your fans say you bring a fierce energy to every look and role. Where does that fire come from  your upbringing, your struggles, or sheer self-belief?

That fire comes from every version of me that refused to give up  the little girl who dreamed beyond her surroundings, the woman who faced rejection with a smile, and the soul that learned to turn pain into purpose.
My upbringing taught me humility, my struggles taught me strength, and self-belief stitched the two together. I’ve seen enough to know that no one hands you power  you create it, quietly, through resilience. Every time I walk onto a set or face a camera, that inner fire reminds me where I started and how far I’ve come.
It’s not aggression; it’s alignment. My fire isn’t to prove anyone wrong  it’s to prove my faith right.

12.⁠ ⁠Ten years from now, when people talk about Veronica Vanij, what do you want them to remember  the face, the films, or the fight behind them?

I’d want them to remember the journey, not just the face. Faces change, films fade  but the fight, the intention behind every step, that’s what I hope stays.

I want people to remember that I showed up with grace, even when it wasn’t easy. That I didn’t just chase fame  I built something with heart. Ten years from now, if someone says, “She made it, and she made it honestly,” that would mean more to me than any award.

Because beyond the glamour and the lights, what defines me is the quiet persistence  the fight to stay kind, to stay true, and to keep shining without burning out.