FILM AND TV STAR ON HIS INTERESTING ACTING CAREER, CREATIVITY AND NEW MUSIC VIDEO RELEASES
by ASJAD NAZIR
FILM and television star Vatsal Sheth has balanced an interesting array of acting projects that have not only shown off his impressive range, but also given him golden opportunities to play some memorable characters.
Most recently, he teamed up with actress-wife Ishita Dutta for recently released music videos Kithe and Rehne Do Zara, which have clocked up millions of YouTube views in quick time. This adds to an interesting variety of projects for the prolific actor.
Eastern Eye caught up with Vatsal Sheth to talk about his actionpacked acting journey, latest music video and future hopes.
How have you handled lockdown and what have you been doing?
Lockdown has been a little difficult for not only us, but for everyone. Ishita and I have handled the lockdown pretty well. The key was to keep ourselves busy and we have managed to do that.
How would you look back on your acting journey?
Looking back at my acting career, it's pretty interesting. It's been two decades. I started with Just Mohabbat and then Tarzan: The Wonder Car. Then a lot of films, TV and web shows happened. I am pretty happy with my acting journey. As an actor, I am always looking to do more and better characters. I have played a typical boy next door, portrayed a ghost in Gehraiyaan and a villain in Ek Hasina Thi. Recently, I did a cameo where I played a cop in Malang. So, I am pretty happy with my journey so far.
You have played a wide array of characters, but which is closest to your heart?
I have done a lot of roles, but one that is very close was my character Shaurya in Ek Hasina Thi. It was widely appreciated all across. It was very difficult for me with the boy next door image to play a negative character. I really enjoyed the journey and had a great time playing Shaurya.
Which has been the most challenging role?
Shaurya in Ek Hasina Thi was very challenging. Then there was a character called Karan in a film called Hostel. It was very challenging. This film was quite hard hitting and was based on two incidents. We finished the film in 17-18 days. If you haven't watched it, please catch it on Disney Hotstar.
What was the experience of doing your recent music videos?
Ishita and I have never done anything together, so the experience with the music videos was amazing. And, it was the first time Ishita was doing music videos like this. We have now done two music videos together. We shot the video for Kithe in Delhi and Chandigarh, and finished it just before the lockdown. People have loved the song and music video. I thank everyone for that. The other music video, Rehne Do Zara, was shot at home and I actually directed it. It was very well appreciated, a lot of fun and one we put together from scratch.
Does your approach between film and television change as an actor?
My approach for films, TV and web shows
is the same. It’s about the character. One needs to study the character and what it demands. It’s not about film or TV, but about the character. There is a little difference if you are doing a play and working on TV or web. One has to be a little loud while doing a theatre play. I have done a lot of plays back in school. Otherwise, if you are talking about films, TV or web shows, my approach is the same.
Do you have a dream role?
Not really. But I love superhero films. Tarzan: The Wonder Car was a superhero film. I would love to do another film like that.
Tell us about your forthcoming projects?
My forthcoming project is a Gujarati film called Hu Maari Wife Ne Ano Husband. This film was shot in London and Birmingham. It was supposed to be released right now, but due to Covid and the lockdown we had to push it. It has Johnny Lever bhai and Vrajesh Hirjee. We had a blast shooting it. I am really excited for the film to come out. I have also done a short film, which was made by students from Pune. I often get messages that, ‘I have a brilliant script and would you like to be a part of it’. There was one such script that I read and took the opportunity. I am really looking forward to that as well.
Who is your own acting hero?
Every time I approach a character, it’s different. I take inspiration from real life people. Apart from that, I really look up to Ajay Devgn sir. The way he reads the character and shapes it is inspiring. So, yes I really get inspired from Ajay Devgn sir.
What do you enjoy watching as an audience member?
I love films that have adventure, thriller and lots of action. I also love masala films, but the superhero genre is my favourite. I love them.
What's your inspiration?
As I said earlier, I get inspired from people and real life situations. Everywhere I look, things, people and animals inspire me. There are a lot of books, which inspire me. Every time I am doing something new, I get inspired.
If you could master something new what would it be?
It would definitely be the violin. It’s very difficult. But that’s one thing I would love to master. I have started playing a native American flute and am learning over the internet. I don’t have any formal education in music. I love an instrument and picked it up. But I would really want to master the violin.
What is the first thing you will do after lockdown ends?
I don’t know actually. I don’t have any set of goals for after the lockdown is over. It’s not about the lockdown. It’s pretty much over. The threat of the virus is looming and one can’t be going around jumping, gathering and partying around. Everyone has to be careful. We need to wait till the vaccine comes and this slows down. Till then, everyone has to be very careful.
Why do you love being an actor?
I don’t know actually. I just love it. Everyday is a new day. It’s not a typical desk job where you are doing the same thing again and again. Everyday brings a new opportunity. You get to travel, play various characters and do new things. A lot of things happen in an actor's life. Hence, I enjoy this profession.
Jay's grandma’s popcorn from Gujarat is now selling out everywhere.
Ditched the influencer route and began posting hilarious videos online.
Available in Sweet Chai and Spicy Masala, all vegan and gluten-free
Jayspent 18 months on a list. Thousands of names. Influencers with follower counts that looked like phone numbers. He was going to launch his grandmother's popcorn the right way: send free bags, wait for posts, pray for traction. That's the playbook, right? That's what you do when you're a nobody selling something nobody asked for.
Then one interaction made him snap. The entitlement. The self-importance. The way some food blogger treated his family's recipe like a favour they were doing him. He looked at his spreadsheet. Closed it. Picked up his phone and decided to burn it all down.
Now he makes videos mocking the same people he was going to beg for help. Influencers weeping over the wrong luxury car. Creators demanding payment for chewing food on camera. Someone having a breakdown about ice cubes. And guess what? The internet ate it up. His popcorn keeps selling out. And from Gujarat, his grandmother's 60-year-old recipe is now moving units because her grandson got mad enough to be funny about it.
Jay’s grandma’s popcorn from Gujarat is now selling out everywhere Instagram/daadisnacks
The kitchen story
Daadi means grandmother in Hindi. Jay's daadi came to America from Gujarat decades ago. Every weekend, she made popcorn with the spices she grew up with, including cardamom, cinnamon, and chilli mixes. It was her way of keeping home close while living somewhere that didn't taste like it.
Jay wanted that in stores. Wanted brown faces in the snack aisle. It didn’t happen overnight. It took a couple of years to get from a family recipe to something they could actually sell. Everyone pitched in, including his grandmom, uncle, mum. The spices come from small local farmers. There are just two flavours for now, Sweet Chai and Spicy Masala. It’s all vegan and gluten-free, packed in bright bags that instantly feel South Asian.
The videos don't look like marketing. They look like someone venting at 11 PM after scrolling too long. He nails the nasal influencer voice. The fake sympathy. “I can’t believe this,” he says in that exaggerated influencer tone, “they gave me the cheaper car, only eighty grand instead of one-twenty.” That clip alone blew up, pulling in close to nine million views.
Most people don't know they're watching a snack brand. They think it's social commentary. Jay never calls himself an influencer. He says he’s a creator, period. There’s a difference, and he makes sure people know it. His TikTok has around three hundred thousand followers, Instagram about half that. The comments read like a sigh of relief, people fed up with fake polish, finally hearing someone say what everyone else was thinking.
This fits into something called deinfluencing; people pushing back against the buy-everything-trust-nobody cycle. But Jay's version has teeth. He's naming names, calling out the economics. Big venture money flows to chains with good lighting. Family businesses with actual stories get ignored because their content isn't slick enough.
Jay watched his New York neighbourhood change. Chains moved in. Influencers posted about places that had funding and were aesthetic. The old spots, the family ones, got left behind. His videos are about that gap. The erosion of local culture by money and aesthetics.
"Big chains and VC-funded businesses are promoted at the expense of local ones," he said. His content doesn't just roast influencers. It promotes other small food makers who can't afford to play the game. He positions Daadi as a defender of something real against something plastic.
And it's working. Not just philosophically. Financially. The videos drive traffic. People click through, try the popcorn, come back. The company can't keep stock. That's the proof.
Daadi popcorn features authentic Gujarat flavours like Sweet Chai and Spicy Masala, all vegan and gluten-free Daadi Snacks
The blowback
People unfollow because they think he's too harsh. Jay's take: "I would argue I need to be meaner."
In May, he posted that he's not chasing content creation money like most people at his follower count. "I post to speak my mind and help my family's snack biz." That's a different model. Most brands pay influencers to make everything look perfect. They chase viral polish, and Jay does the opposite. In fact, he weaponises rawness and treats criticism like a product feature.
The internet mostly backs him. Reddit threads light up with support. One commenter was "toxic influencers choking on their matcha lattes searching their Balenciaga bags." Another: "Influencers are boring and unoriginal and can get bent." The anger is shared. Jay simply gave it a microphone and a snack to buy.
Jay's success says something about where things are going. People are done with curated perfection. They can smell the artificiality now. They respond to brands that feel like humans rather than committees. Daadi doesn't sell aspiration. Doesn't sell a lifestyle. Sells popcorn and a point of view.
The quality matters, including the spices, the sourcing, and the family behind it. But the edge matters too. He’s not afraid to say what most brands tiptoe around. “We just show who we are,” Jay says. “No pretending, no gloss. People can feel that and that’s when they reach for the popcorn.”
Most small businesses can't afford to play the traditional game. Can't pay influencers. Can't hire agencies. Can't fake their way into feeds. Maybe they don't need to. Maybe honesty and humour can cut through if they're sharp enough. If the product backs it up. If the story is real and the person telling it isn't trying to sound like a PR script.
This started with a list Jay didn't use. The business took off the moment he stopped trying to play by the usual rules and started speaking his mind. Turns out, honesty sells. And yes, the popcorn really does taste good.
Daadi Snacks merch dropInstagram/daadisnacks
The question is whether this scales. Whether other small businesses watch this and realise they don't need to beg for attention from people who don't care. Right now, Daadi keeps selling out. People keep watching. The grandmother's recipe that was supposed to need influencer approval is doing fine without it. Better than fine. Turns out the most effective marketing strategy might just be giving a damn and not being afraid to show it.
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