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Netflix’s “Family Party” is an exciting narrative, which gives us a glimpse into the lifestyle of Indian-Americans through the eyes of two teenagers, Nick and Aarti. They are both forced to attend a graduation party thrown for Aarti where all their relatives and family friends will be in attendance, but they would much rather attend a concert with their friends.
Vishal Vaidya, who plays protagonist Nick, believes the character’s appeal lied in how relatable he was. “We had so many shared experiences and his struggles were the s are as those of me and many of my friends,” he said.
Nick has a charming personality. Vaidya thinks the characters represents sort of the “everyman” for the Bay Area Indian teenager. He’s laid back, cool and athletic. He’d rather be at a concert with his friends but he doesn’t want to disappoint his parents either. In fact, Vaidya drew inspiration for Nick from his own life. “As a kid, I too attended a lot of family parties, which grew more and more boring as I got older,” he said. “Unlike Nick, my family did not have a strong attendance policy once I got through my early years.”
The challenge, for Vaidya, was to make sure Nick did not become too much like him. “He is his own person with different goals and behaviors, even if he lives in a very similar world.”
Remembering his time on set, he recalls how passionate everyone, especially director Pari Mathur was. “What made me stay excited was how determined he was to make the project work. I could tell this was his baby and he wasn’t going to stop until it was told,” he said.
[Vishal Vaidya, third from left, with “Family Party” castmates Jaya Prasad, Rahul Nalamasu, Jai Ahuja]
He believes even though the crew was devoted to the story, they could always make time for a few laughs. They all grew really close. “Some of us even ended up living together for two weeks at the house where the majority of the film was shot,” he added. “I think the goal for all of us was to make the film the very best we could. We were all sold on the film and the message of equality it held. I think the finished product really speaks to that.”
Vaidya is just one of the several actors who are entering the industry at a wonderful time. South Asian-Americans, such as one of Vaidya’s idols Aziz Ansari are finally gaining momentum when it comes to representation in the right way. For him, he doesn’t see where the divide comes from in the first place. “People in my generation don’t see themselves as just South Asian,” he said. “Many of my friends are from different backgrounds and experiences, but we all see ourselves as Americans.”
He said he wants to see changes in the coming years and thinks the best vehicle for that change is to put minority actors in front of the camera. “It’s not a problem of ability, but of frequency. There are so many colored faces out there waiting for a chance to show up on our screens and stages and make America laugh, cry, and everything in between.”
Acting kind of snuggled up to Vaidya, he said. He wasn’t pursuing it even though he plans to continue acting in college, Wesleyan University, which he will begin this fall. When Mathur saw him perform at his high school play, he asked Vaidya to audition for “Family Party.” He is no stranger to the arts, though. He plays the french horn in orchestras, which he thinks is the perfect social musical experience for him, especially because it has allowed him to follow another passion of his — travel.
Meanwhile, he said he hopes we can become a part of the larger picture, a much more diverse American media. “We just have to work hard and have thick skin.”
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