Mumbai, Maharashtra: In an exclusive conversation with IANS actor Vineet Raina reflects on his two-decade-long journey from Srinagar to Mumbai, describing it as fulfilling yet ever-evolving. While he gained major recognition through 'Maayka – Saath Zindagi Bhar Ka', he believes his true turning point is still ahead. Raina credits his longevity to constant self-improvement and versatility, having explored romantic, negative and diverse roles across television, films and OTT platforms. He emphasizes that adapting to change and experimenting with characters has been key to his growth. Sharing insights on the industry, he highlights ongoing issues like delayed payments and long working hours, stressing the need for better regulation and fairness for all workers. Looking ahead, Raina is excited about his international debut and aspires to work with British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan. He also plans to explore direction and production, continuing his creative journey with passion and purpose.
#VineetRaina #IndianActor #TelevisionIndustry #BollywoodJourney #ActorLife #EntertainmentNews #CelebrityInterview #OTTPlatforms #FilmIndustry #CareerGrowth #Versatility #ActingCareer #SrinagarToMumbai #Maayka #IndustryIssues #WorkLife #DelayedPayments #LongWorkingHours #InternationalDebut #ChristopherNolan #Direction #Production #IANS
#VineetRaina #IndianActor #TelevisionIndustry #BollywoodJourney #ActorLife #EntertainmentNews #CelebrityInterview #OTTPlatforms #FilmIndustry #CareerGrowth #Versatility #ActingCareer #SrinagarToMumbai #Maayka #IndustryIssues #WorkLife #DelayedPayments #LongWorkingHours #InternationalDebut #ChristopherNolan #Direction #Production #IANS
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00:00First of all, welcome to INS.
00:02Thank you so much for having me here.
00:04And your career has been more than two decades.
00:07So when you look back from Shri Nagar to Mumbai,
00:12where do you think your journey has been?
00:14Our biggest journey point?
00:15What is your career?
00:18I think it's been a great journey.
00:22It's been a great journey.
00:27I think it's been a great journey.
00:29And of course, it will be more than two decades.
00:30I think I have come to Mumbai now.
00:34I'm going to start my journey.
00:37I'm going to start my journey.
00:40Great journey so far.
00:42So many shows.
00:43There are so many production houses.
00:45There are so many well-learned and geniuses.
00:49I feel destined.
00:53I feel blessed to get these opportunities.
00:57And I feel like it's a turning point.
01:02I'm still looking for it.
01:05I have not set a limitation to it.
01:08This is my turning point.
01:09But yes, I got my first fame and recognition from my show on ZTV called
01:15My character, Veer Khurana, was extremely popular all over India and the different parts of the world.
01:26And that gave me the global recognition.
01:28After that, I did so many shows with Zee, Star, Sunni and all those channels.
01:34So all of them were great.
01:38In the early 2000s, when I started TV and industrial landscape, it was very different.
01:44So how do you adopt and sustain yourself through changing trends?
01:47See, as far as you are not concentrating or focusing just on the changing trends.
01:55That's inevitable.
01:57Change is always constant.
01:59The industry will keep evolving.
02:02The changes will keep on happening.
02:06What matters is how much you are upgrading yourself.
02:11Like with time, we have the phone or operating system.
02:18You know, with time, you get upgrades and the phone is upgraded and it's again ready for the current time
02:27to operate flawlessly.
02:29So I think that people can only concentrate on their own craft, talent, work out.
02:41So, whether the world is changing outside, if you keep working on yourself, working on your craft, you will always
02:51adapt to those changes.
02:53That's what I believe.
02:55You have done so many diverse shows.
02:58So how do you consciously avoid getting typecast?
03:03Because I never chose a single genre.
03:09I have always opted for my career and opted for different roles.
03:17My show, like I said, Mayaka.
03:19I was playing a love boy.
03:21Then, Handa Kuch Kehta Hai.
03:23Tumbejaan Kahan.
03:24Maryada.
03:25All these shows which are like super-head shows.
03:29I was playing a love boy.
03:31But after that I chose to do a negative role.
03:33After that I chose to do a comedy role.
03:36Then I experimented with different kinds of genres and roles and portrayals.
03:43Because if I didn't do that, I wouldn't be knowing what my range is.
03:47I have to work in my work.
03:48What is my calibre.
03:50I will be able to work in my craft.
03:54So that is why I always refused to do a similar role.
04:01And I kept on experimenting with myself.
04:04So I think that as an actor, this has helped me a lot.
04:09You have worked in TV films and 3 mediums.
04:12So what do you see as an actor as an actor?
04:20See, all these mediums and platforms, they have their own beauty.
04:27If you have a medium to work in every medium, you have to do it.
04:34And I felt like that I would have to do some limitations.
04:37I should do TV or TV or film.
04:42I always wanted to choose the role first.
04:46See the role first, then the platform.
04:49The stage is a different way. There are wrestlers, loud gestures and you have to reach the audience at the
05:03end.
05:03You are loud, your gestures are loud. Television is time-constrained.
05:07In one day, you have 30 minutes of footage. Everything happens very fast.
05:13You have to shoot today's episode.
05:18There are scripts and you have to do it.
05:21OTT is a different thing.
05:23In films, you need to shoot massively. There are big budgets.
05:27Every genre, every medium has their own grace where you can live.
05:34Do you think that actors have more creative freedom in films and theaters?
05:43Do you think that the OTT platform is such a platform?
05:46Do you feel liberated in performing and produce like this?
05:52I have done shows like television, OTT and films.
06:01I don't think that I have been creative and restricted free.
06:05I think that in every platform, every show, every project, I have worked freely.
06:12I have been restricted and restricted.
06:15I can't do it properly.
06:18So, my experience has been really good with all the mediums.
06:23In today's time, when the content-driven cinema arrives, do you think the other actors have finally getting their due
06:29description in films?
06:30Absolutely they are.
06:32There is more acceptance for good actors in television, actors in films.
06:38And the acceptance is very good, very welcoming.
06:42It should be very early.
06:44In today's time, you have seen that everyone has good actors in TV, OTT, OTT films.
06:52And every good actor will work on different projects, mediums and platforms.
06:58It's a very positive and a very good sign for our Indian film industry.
07:03And especially in the television industry, we see that in the television industry,
07:09there are many actors that we interview with.
07:12One of the things that we do is, we have payments,
07:16we have time-faring payments, and after 4 months, we have payments.
07:21So, you don't think that there are many big problems in the television industry actors.
07:27It's the biggest problem.
07:28I think that, now, in this industry that is growing like anything,
07:36many people are working, many things.
07:39So, cheating, fraud, actors' money, actors' money,
07:43when a producer doesn't give money,
07:45or they deny payments payments,
07:50or they cheat.
07:53I think that the government needs to connect a body to the film industry.
08:01So, there is security for actors in the crew.
08:05Where there is security for actors in the crew.
08:05Where there is security for actors in their rights.
08:07Like I have done a show in Shindiwale Sai Baba,
08:10but his crew didn't get money.
08:13It's been a year.
08:14And producers are just saying that,
08:16we'll do it, we'll do it, we'll do it.
08:17We'll do it every year.
08:18They're saying, we'll do it, we'll do it.
08:20But, there is no support from any association,
08:23there is no support from any government.
08:25So, everyone is from their own,
08:28and the producer is not paying anybody.
08:30Which is so bad.
08:32Everyone has worked with the hard work.
08:34And those people who are sitting in their homes,
08:37who don't give money,
08:38who don't give money,
08:38and they have a lot of money.
08:40So, this should not happen.
08:42And I really believe that,
08:44a sense of security,
08:47a actor, a group,
08:48a light man,
08:50or a sport,
08:50or any other people,
08:52they need to provide them.
08:55And I really feel that,
08:57our information and broadcast industry,
09:00because we need to interfere with them.
09:02And we need to know a proper protocol.
09:05So, that,
09:06our industry,
09:07the workers,
09:08who make a product,
09:09will be secure.
09:09why are we going to do this?
09:11One more issue,
09:12is that,
09:12the late working hours,
09:14that actors are getting more data,
09:16or more data?
09:18See,
09:19many actors and crews,
09:21I will tell you,
09:22as I have seen,
09:24that,
09:24they don't have any problems,
09:25to keep them extra,
09:25to keep them extra work.
09:28But,
09:28that extra work,
09:30you don't get money.
09:31Most of the people,
09:33they don't have extra work,
09:34and they don't have extra work.
09:37Even the people,
09:37the actors,
09:38from our industry,
09:39from the actors,
09:40from the sport boy,
09:41and even the people,
09:43who come in their own,
09:44all the people,
09:45who work so much,
09:46and all the people,
09:47in their minds,
09:47one thing is,
09:48the show must go on.
09:49The telecast needs to be done.
09:51They work extra work.
09:53But,
09:53when they don't get into it,
09:56they're what the problems.
09:57For someone,
09:58to work to do extra work,
09:59they don't have to do extra work.
10:02But,
10:03they know,
10:03that they don't get extra work.
10:06Some of the actors,
10:07complain that,
10:08we call directors,
10:10but,
10:10we don't stay short,
10:11and then,
10:11we don't have to go on.
10:14So,
10:14that is,
10:16that is,
10:16that is,
10:16that is,
10:16that is,
10:16that is,
10:16that is,
10:17that is,
10:18that is,
10:19that is,
10:29that is,
10:30that is,
10:34I have to go on.
10:41I don't know about it, but this kind of thing is very normal on the floor and during the sheath.
10:47Sometimes you have to sit down, but that's fine.
10:50If my commitment for a show is 12 hours per day, I shouldn't be having any problems spending those 12
10:56hours for my producer or show.
10:59But yes, if it is deliberately done or if there is a loophole and there will be problems created,
11:08then I can talk about it and work with the production.
11:13But yes, I don't have any problems with that.
11:16Your international interview is happening with different rounds.
11:20What attracted you to this collaboration between Nollywood and Bollywood?
11:24I have no reason to say no.
11:26It's a great concept.
11:29My producer and I was a writer, Nicolette Indiegler.
11:33His first film came to Netflix.
11:41He was working on this subject last 10 years.
11:47So when he narrated the whole concept of the project,
11:50I had no other reason to say no.
11:54Because the film is a complete package.
11:57It's a rom-pomp.
11:58It's a romantic comedy.
12:00A long triangle.
12:01Complexities of the relationships.
12:04For one relationship,
12:06the whole relationship has affected the whole relationship.
12:10It's a beautiful thing.
12:13It's a beautiful thing.
12:13And there are so many stars from Ghana, South Africa, USA.
12:19My leading lady in the film, Abena, is Miss USA.
12:27So the film is star-studded and such talented and amazing actors are there.
12:34So you don't have to worry about it.
12:37Especially if I get an opportunity to take my film industry,
12:44take my craft to an international platform.
12:48I should be the first person to say yes.
12:53How challenging to work in Dublin in the cinema in terms of culture, language and working style?
12:57Do you feel like the actors need to step out more globally to explore the driver's story?
13:03Yes, absolutely.
13:04I think no actor should limit itself.
13:08I should try to do it in India.
13:11While the US is a place where the film is one of the most important roles,
13:16the cast agents,
13:17I should approach them.
13:20Because Indian actors are considered to be very good actors globally.
13:25And they have a very good global reach.
13:28So when our films are featuring here and we get touched on the film,
13:31then why are we contacting those casting directors and agencies and casting directors?
13:39Because you never know that.
13:40That is how we can get, you know, we can get those opportunities.
13:45Otherwise, sitting here, I don't think that something will happen.
13:49And there's a lot of difference between filming that happens here and filming that happens there.
13:56So, you know, an exchange of creativity is also very good.
14:01We know that in the rest of the country, what kind of filmmaking is happening in the rest of the
14:05country,
14:05what kind of work culture is happening.
14:06So, it is diversity, learning and diversity to creativity, you know, merge, this is always good.
14:14In the industry, there is always a thing that people have to do groupism or a particular group,
14:23you will have to get more work, do you think that you have to do groupism or how do you
14:30think you have to do groupism?
14:32See, favoritism is one of the most human beings.
14:37There is a team who works with a set of people.
14:43Which is, in a way, for them, it might be good.
14:47It may be that they don't have a comfort level outside.
14:50But I think that if you deliberately make a lobby and a groupism,
14:56if you only work with the people,
14:58then I think that there is a lot of creativity.
15:02I think that this kind of thing doesn't exist in the creative field and in the art.
15:07I don't want to exist in the art.
15:09I haven't done anything like this, but I hope that I won't be able to face that.
15:16But it doesn't exist in the art and that's what I think.
15:19Looking forward to it, the dream world or genre that you want to explore,
15:23and you think that you want to be a leader with me or a leader with you,
15:26or you want to be a leader with me or a leader with you.
15:27What's happening?
15:28I want to work with Christopher Nolan.
15:30Okay.
15:31So I want to, I want to, I want to, I want to take my self to,
15:38I do myself standing at the Oscars,
15:42and when I speak, they are so that is how I manifest.
15:46So I want to take my industry to the Oscars.
15:49So my tagline, what my goal is from Exodus to Oscars,
15:54that is what I want to achieve in life.
15:56Okay.
15:57If given a chance, would you like to step into direction or production?
16:00Absolutely.
16:01I have a very much sense of direction also.
16:06Because I have learnt it.
16:08I have worked with all the directors and I have a very keen interest in directing and creating.
16:15In COVID, I have made a short film on my phone,
16:20without any equipment.
16:21And that film, that shot film that was, that was a lot of people in the industry.
16:27I have made a really good film.
16:33And I have made a really good film.
16:34And I have made a really good film.
16:35But I would definitely, you know, start something of my own.
16:40And get into direction and production, if God supports.
16:45What is the last one international film?
16:49What projects are you doing?
16:50And then what are your kids here?
16:51I want to give you a family song.
16:52Right now, there are actually projects that jeep on release.
16:55There is a web series that I have done with and I am all sharing.
16:59There is one film that I have done with Mr. Girish Malik, Band of Mahalajas, where I am playing the
17:06antagonist
17:07And there are so many more projects that are there
17:11I listen to the narration
17:13And let's see, I always picked the best roles that suited me
17:21And I would like to say to our fans that I love you for supporting me so far
17:29And thank you for taking me so far in this journey
17:33Thank you so much and keep loving me, I will never let you down
17:36Thank you so much
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