From books to big screen: Vedika Karkal’s unscripted creative journey into cinema

Before cinema found her, Vedika Karkal remembers herself simply as a schoolgirl who spent much of her time reading, often lost in the fictional worlds that she created. Born in Goa and originally from Ponda, she moved to Bengaluru at the age of four, where she completed her schooling at Capitol Public School. Yet, despite growing up away from Goa, her connection with home remained steady — something that continues to shape how she sees herself today.

“I was very introverted. I didn’t have too many friends growing up. Everyone wanted to go out and play ball, and I would also play, but I always wanted to know what was beyond this.” That curiosity led her first to books. Reading became an early part of that inner world, giving her space to connect with characters and situations that stayed with her for years. She found herself drawn to protagonists, often imagining herself in their roles long before she knew that one day scripts would replace novels in her hands.

“I connected myself with characters from books. I imagined myself as the protagonist. Maybe that is why stepping into acting later felt natural.”

Alongside reading, another habit has stayed with her through the years — writing in a diary, something she began when she was ten and continues to this day. “When I am upset, I sit down and write everything with the date. Sometimes I read old pages where I was complaining about a teacher, and I realise the problems that felt so heavy then have already passed.”

First step into public life

Public attention came unexpectedly when Vedika entered a beauty pageant at eighteen, without imagining what might change. She walked onto the stage in a red gown, nervous and unsure, with one thought on her mind: her family and friends had come to watch, and she did not want to disappoint them.

“I had no clue I would be crowned,” she recalls. “I was afraid to face the world.”

Winning the title- Stellar Miss Goa became an important turning point, as it changed more than visibility. It altered her own understanding of courage. Speaking publicly that night, she remembers acknowledging both her fears and her strengths. “My greatest strength has always been my family and friends. That night, I learned how to be brave.”

Support from all remains central to the way she describes herself. Her mother, she says, shaped her values and education; her father gave her resilience in practical ways like teaching her to drive, pushing her beyond hesitation, and insisting that confidence had to be built through action.

She also says that entering the cinema never felt dependent on appearances alone. The experience changed her understanding of presentation, but not in the way many assume. “You don’t really need makeup to enter this world,” she says, reflecting on how confidence mattered more than outward polish in the beginning.

Learning confidence on the Road

One of her most vivid memories is of being handed the car keys and told she would drive alone to college. During her BBA years at Dempo College, which meant regular drives from Ponda to Panaji. “I texted my mother that day saying Please pray for me" she says, laughing. “But I came back alive, and that felt like a huge achievement.”

Though she was initially uncomfortable with long exposure to heat and sunlight, driving gradually became something she learned to enjoy and trust herself with. That confidence later grew into something larger. Today, she owns a Suzuki Jimny and is part of the adventure group CurbOver, through which she has taken part in off-road drives and expeditions, including Spiti.

“In the mountains, there is no internet, no noise, no one to face. You are just facing yourself.”

For her, driving and adventure remain separate from acting, but equally important. “When you drive, you are responsible for lives. It teaches you that you must carry yourself and own your decisions.”

She says, it is completely different from acting — “the side behind the camera.”

Becoming visible, staying grounded

Her first major acting experience came with Just Married, where she worked alongside established actors and quietly treated the project as a space to learn.

“That film became an acting school for me,” she says. “I learned by observing.”

Having lived in Bengaluru helped her feel comfortable with Kannada, but acting in a professional setting was still a new process. What mattered more was absorbing the discipline of a professional set.

That preparation became unexpectedly important when Aai Sayba arrived. The role arrived unexpectedly. She was not the original choice. She was called while in Bengaluru and asked to fly to Goa immediately for shooting.

“I had no time to read the script,” she says. “I landed, got into costume, sat on set, and told the director honestly that I needed help understanding the character.”

Amruta, the character she played, felt quite different from her own nature — stronger, more direct, and physically bold. “She was stronger than I. She knew how to fight.”

One scene in which she had to confront a goon with sudden force became memorable for the response it received on set. “After that shot, the set went silent, and then everyone applauded. They said they should have given me more fighting scenes.”

She says the role allowed her to discover a side of herself she had not explored before. The film, she believes, connected strongly because it reflected familiar struggles of theatre and creative life in Goa. Audiences saw something recognisable on their own.

Story still unfolds

Vedika is currently pursuing an MBA through weekend online classes, balancing academics with shoots and travel. “I don’t like leaving things incomplete,” she says firmly. For her, acting remains something she is still understanding with each project, while education continues alongside it.

“I don’t think this was a dream I planned. I think it is still unfolding.”

What she hopes for in the future is to take on roles that allow her to portray women with depth and strength. “The day I get a truly strong woman’s role, I will feel proud.”

For a young Goan audience watching her journey, her message is simple: “Listen to your heart. If a dream is placed there, there is a reason. Stay with supportive people, trust the right ones, and keep going.”

Even with growing recognition, she says she returns easily to simple routines — reading, baking, writing, and spending time quietly. “I can express myself the most in front of the camera,” she says. “But when I come back, I’m still the same Vedika — lost in my books.”