Actor Vanshika Dhir made her Bollywood debut with Kunal Kemmu’s Vibe, where she shared screen space with Kunal, Preity Zinta and Sparsh Shrivastav. Like any newcomer, Dhir experienced nerves on her first film set, but she found an immediate sense of comfort in Kemmu. His words after her first take helped her feel more at ease.
Remembering her first day of shooting, Dhir said Kemmu’s encouragement gave her the confidence to approach the project more comfortably. She also spoke about watching him manage several responsibilities as the film’s director, actor and producer, calling it a valuable learning experience for her first project.
“VIBE will always be incredibly special to me because it’s my first film. There’s so much excitement in beginning this journey but also a real vulnerability because it feels like you’re putting a part of yourself out there too. I still remember after my very first take, Kunal sir came up to me and said, ‘Vanshika, you’re doing great. You got this!’ I was so nervous and those few words meant more than he probably realised,” she shared.
Dhir said Kemmu’s presence continued to play a significant role in her experience throughout the shoot. “Throughout the film, he always gave me the confidence to try things differently and he somehow knew when I needed a laugh too. Watching him switch between directing, acting and producing was incredible. As someone doing this for the first time, I couldn’t have asked for a better role model,” she said.
Along with Kemmu’s reassuring words, working with Preity Zinta was another memorable experience for Vanshika. She recalled growing up watching the actor on screen.
“I grew up watching Preity ma’am, so doing my first film alongside her was a genuine pinch-me moment. I’ve always admired the grace with which she carries herself, but getting to know her and watching her work made me look up to her even more,” Vanshika said.
She also acknowledged Sparsh Shrivastav’s contribution to her growth as a performer. “I learnt so much from Sparsh too. Watching the conviction and confidence he brought to his character encouraged me to be less conscious and just more present in the scene,” she added.
Vanshika said the learning continued even when she was away from the camera. She regularly watched the monitor and observed how the more experienced actors handled their scenes.
“I knew how rare it was to be surrounded by people with so much experience, so I just wanted to absorb everything I could. I found myself watching everyone on the monitor, even when I wasn’t in a scene because there was always something to learn,” she recalled.
Reflecting on her debut, Vanshika admitted that she was nervous and may have made mistakes, but said the process of learning continued throughout the experience.
