Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Feb 17: Actor Regena Cassandrra, who built a strong career in Tamil and Telugu cinema before making her Bollywood debut with Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, says breaking into the Hindi film industry was not without challenges.
Hailing from Chennai, Regena began acting at just 16, initially treating films as an extracurricular pursuit. Over time, it evolved into a full-fledged career. While she says she feels most at home on a film set, she admits that navigating Bollywood as a South Indian actor took time.
Speaking about her early days in Hindi cinema, Regena says she was often stereotyped.
“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’ve done in the language is in my own voice. It’s my own Hindi, and I’ve tried to make sure that I live up to the role that I’ve been given,” she said.
However, she revealed that she was sometimes made to feel like an outsider.
“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. 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,” she added.
Over the years, Regena has been part of projects such as Kesari Chapter 2, Rocket Boys, Farzi and Jaat, steadily carving a space for herself.
Asked how she dealt with stereotyping, she said, “I’m a very nurturing person, so when I’m around people, I feel like they see that side of me. Irrespective of the industry I’m in, I somehow make it feel like home.”
Regena also pointed out that stereotyping is not limited to regional identity but extends to how women are perceived in commercial cinema.
“As a woman in this industry, it’s very easy for us to be stereotyped. It’s a visual medium and once you see something, it sticks in your head. But I’ve always wanted to be versatile. It’s very difficult for me to pick and choose my films because I don’t want to always do mainstream commercial films,” she said.
Now 35, the actor reflects on how her approach to the industry has changed since her teenage years.
“This might sound very woke, but it’s really not that easy being in this industry and doing the kind of work that I’m doing, to just say, okay, let’s go with the flow for four days and not question it on day five,” she said.
Calling herself a “chill person”, Regena admitted that experiences sometimes linger subconsciously. “As a child, I was able to do it easier. Somewhere along the way, I’m unlearning and learning, and the process continues,” she said.
With over a decade in cinema across industries, Regena’s journey reflects both the challenges of crossing linguistic boundaries and the resilience required to thrive in a highly visual, stereotype-driven space.