Vainidhi Jagadish, daughter of veteran actors Jai Jagadish and Vijayalakshmi, followed in her parents’ footsteps with her debut in Yaana (2019) alongside her sisters. She went on to appear in Rathnan Prapancha, Bengaluru Boys, and was last seen in Kranti. After nearly a year away from the silver screen, she is now ready to return, and with renewed focus.
“After Kranti in early 2023, I didn’t take up any projects. I consciously stopped to think about where I was heading. The kind of scripts I was getting weren’t taking me anywhere,” Vainidhi says. “I even tried my hand at business, and it did well, but I kept asking myself — is this what I really want? The answer was clear: cinema is where I belong," she adds.
Determined to up her game, Vainidhi invested in honing her craft. She trained under Saurabh Sachdeva at his acting school, took dance lessons from Ganesh Acharya’s assistant, and even moved to Mumbai for a year-long course. “I worked on my fitness and mental health. I wanted to step up and be ready for something truly good,” she explains.
Her latest portfolio, shot by cinematographer Bhuvan Gowda, reflects that transformation. “This break from cinema was necessary. I’ve changed — it’s helped me understand my love for the big screen better,” she says.
As for her next steps, Vainidhi reveals she’s in advanced discussions for projects in both Kannada and Tamil cinema. “I don’t want to reveal names yet, but I’ve met some exciting directors. I’m waiting for the right project to sign on the dotted line. People might have wondered about my absence, but I’ve just been preparing myself. The auditions are lined up, and I’m ready to face the camera again.”