- Regena Cassandra faced derogatory behaviour in Bollywood due to her South Indian identity
- The derogatory treatment included both words and actions against Regena
- Industry obsession with looks often leads to typecasting of female actors like Regena
Regena Cassandrra, who has made her presence felt in Hindi films and OTT platforms, claimed in a recent interview that she faced 'derogatory' behaviour in Bollywood due to her South Indian identity. Regena went on to say that the behaviour was meted out not just through words, but also through actions.
"A lot of people treated me in a derogatory manner, not just with words, but with actions. It's sort of a derogatory outlook towards me. And, I mean, anyone would be able to tell that I was being put down in a certain way. I did feel it. So I did have some inhibitions in the North. But, having said that, it's not always the case, right?" Regena told Hindustan Times.
Obsession with Looks for Female Actors
Apart from the industry dynamics, Regena also felt the industry's obsession with looks for female actors tends to typecast her: "I think as a woman in this industry, it's very easy for us to be stereotyped. I mean, it's only obvious because it's a visual medium at the end of the day, and once you see something, it sticks in your head. But I've always wanted to be versatile. So, it is very difficult for me to pick and choose my films because I don't want to always do mainstream commercial films," the actor reasoned, explaining her choice of films.
Dedication to Hindi
Talking about her command of Hindi compared to other South Indian actors, Regena said, "I was a South Indian actress. Compared to most South Indians, my Hindi is way better. I can read, write, and speak Hindi, and all the work I have done to date in the language is in my own voice. It's my own Hindi, and I've tried to make sure that, you know, I live up to the role that I've been given."
Regena Cassandra's Work
Regena made her debut by playing a small character in the Tamil movie Kanda Naal Mudhal (2005) and rose to fame later with her roles in films like Siva Manasulo Sruthi, Routine Love Story, Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga, Power*, Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham, Subramanyam for Sale, Jyo Achyutananda, Maanagaram, Awe, and Vidaamuyarchi.
She made her Hindi debut with the Anil Kapoor-Sonam Kapoor starrer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, and has also appeared in Hindi films like Jaat and Kesari Chapter 2. She's also an important part of solid OTT shows such as Rocket Boys and Farzi.
