Regina Cassandra Opens Up on Bollywood Bias: “Being from the South Led to Disrespect and Humiliation”

South Indian actress Regina Cassandra, known for her work in Sunny Deol’s Jaat and Shahid Kapoor’s Farisht, has made startling claims about her experiences in Bollywood. In a recent interview, she alleged that being from South India subjected her to disrespect and humiliating behavior in the Hindi film industry.

Bollywood Debut and Career

Regina made her Bollywood debut in 2019 with Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. Originally a prominent figure in Telugu and Tamil cinema, she has since appeared in films like Jaat and Kesari Chapter 2, as well as Hindi web series such as Rocket Boys and Farisht. The 35-year-old Chennai-born actress revealed that she often felt undervalued on Hindi film sets, despite her fluency in Hindi:
“Compared to most South Indians, my Hindi is much better. I can read, write, and speak the language, and everything I’ve done in Hindi has been in my own voice. But it took time for me to feel at home in the Hindi film industry.”

Facing Humiliation

Regina claimed that she was treated poorly, not just through words but also through professional behavior:
“Many people treated me badly. There was a certain attitude that made me feel humiliated. I sensed that subtle condescension, which made me hesitant in the North.”

She also highlighted the challenges faced by women in the industry:
“Being a woman in this industry makes it easy to become a stereotype. This is mainly because cinema is a visual medium—once something is seen, it sticks in people’s minds.”

Choosing Roles Carefully

When asked about taking up projects like Kesari Chapter 2, Rocket Boys, Farisht, and Jaat, Regina explained:
“Being around people, I want them to see me as someone constantly learning. I try to feel at home wherever I work. I’ve always wanted to be versatile, which makes choosing my films challenging. I don’t want to do only mainstream commercial films.”

Early Start and Lifelong Lessons

Regina began acting at 16, and now at 35, she reflects on the mental and emotional challenges of sustaining a film career:
“It may sound woke, but navigating this industry while doing the kind of work I do isn’t easy. Sometimes, the subconscious holds on to things. This has been a lifelong learning process.”

Background and Achievements

Born on 13 December 1990 in Chennai, Regina comes from a diverse background: her father is Anglo-Indian with roots in Goa, and her mother is Iyengar. She started as a child anchor at age nine for the children’s show Splash. She holds a BSc in Psychology from Women’s Christian College, Chennai, and a Master’s in Psychology from Madras University.

Regina’s South Indian film credentials include a supporting role in Tamil film Kanda Naal Mudhal (2005) and the Telugu film Shiva Manasulo Shruti (2012), for which she won the SIIMA Award for Best Female Debut. She gained acclaim for films like Routine Love Story (2010), KD Billa Killadi Ranga (2013), Power (2014), and Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitam (2014).