Vaishnavi Chaitanya: I am happy people still remember me as the ‘Baby’ girl

Actor Vaishnavi Chaitanya became a household name after the sensational hit, Baby, where her performance was widely appreciated. After that, she acted in a couple of films, but they did not live up to expectations. She is now coming up with Epic - First Semester, in which she is paired opposite Anand Deverakonda. This marks their second collaboration after Baby. Epic is directed by Aditya Hasan and produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya.

Vaishnavi shares she is happy to have made her own mark in the industry. “The support of my parents, the film industry, and the audience has brought me this far. Many Telugu girls are making their mark in the film industry with their own individuality, and I am happy to be one among them,” says Vaishnavi, who plays Kadali in Epic. “She is a strong girl who stands up for herself, and has immense clarity. Anand's Aditya is soft and calm, and that's what makes this journey interesting.”

Talking about how she became part of the film, Vaishnavi says, “I am always looking for new roles, and if I am excited about the story and want to see myself in that character, I choose it. That’s how I selected my stories after Baby, and Epic was also chosen in the same way.” While she met Aditya for the first time during the narration, Vaishnavi had already seen his web series, 90s - A Middle Class Biopic, and liked it. “He is a very chill guy, and working with him is a lot of fun. He observes life deeply, notices even the smallest things, and talks about their significance. The same quality can be seen in Epic, as well. He shows how even the little things between Aditya and Kadali matter. Aditya is a unique director, and he has become one of my favourites,” says Vaishnavi.

Talking about her character Kadali, she says there is a Kadali in everyone. “But because of family or society, that version of ourselves often remains within us and doesn’t come out. At some point in life, everyone has to stand up for themselves. That is why Kadali is a character very close to my heart,” says Vaishnavi, who understands that the shadow of Baby continues to loom over her career. “Baby and Epic are completely different films in their own ways. There was no pressure, but we approached Epic as a challenge. If audiences watch us in Epic and don’t think of Baby, then we have succeeded. We have been confident from the beginning that Epic will receive the audience’s love,” says Vaishnavi.

Vaishnavi started her career as a YouTuber and later acted in small roles, including playing Allu Arjun’s sister in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. Interestingly, Sithara Entertainments produced the film, and the same banner is now producing Epic, in which Vaishnavi plays the female lead. “Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo gave me the hope that everyone can set big goals in life. It made me believe that if we set big goals, we can achieve them. Experiencing something like this in my own life makes me extremely happy, and it is difficult to express that feeling in words,” says Vaishnavi, who adds on to why Epic is a special film in her career. "Every love story has something unique about it. Epic also has its own uniqueness. Two people with different paths and mindsets go to the UK to study and meet there. They start living together, and the film revolves around the private conversations they have with each other,” says the actor.

She added that the lead characters see life differently. “The girl looks at life in one way, while the boy sees it differently. How did they meet? What are their perspectives? These aspects bring a sense of freshness to the story. The film has no unnecessary extravagance. It is a story that touches your heart,” says Vaishnavi, who shares her takeaways from playing Kadali in the film. “I usually feel a little scared to speak openly about certain things. Through Kadali, I learnt something important: We must first believe in ourselves and be confident. Many films have already featured independent women at the centre of things. What makes this film different is that Kadali is like an ocean. While dealing with a problem in her life, she finds a way to move forward. The character also carries a meaningful message.”

While she is also intrigued by Final Semester, the planned sequel to Epic - First Semester, Vaishnavi says she doesn't know much about it yet. "Once this film is released, Aditya will narrate the story to me,” says the actor, who points out that box-office results do matter, but she doesn't regret any of her choices so far. “As an actor, I played new roles and learnt something from them, so I don’t have any regrets.” This extends to the films she missed, including the recent hit, Chennai Love Story. "I just couldn't manage the dates because I had already signed three films," says Vaishnavi.

Adding that Baby will always be a memorable film in her career, Vaishnavi says, “Baby is a big turning point in my life. I am happy that people remember me as the ‘Baby’ girl." Signing off by listing her upcoming projects, the Baby actor says, “I am currently doing a film with Nithiin garu under the Sithara banner. I am also working on two Tamil films and one Hindi film.”