Regina Cassandra calls Bollywood ‘unforgiving’: ‘I’m not the kind of a person who could sell myself for work’

In an exclusive interview, Regina Cassandra shared she faced several challenges while getting into Bollywood.

3 min readMumbaiNov 1, 2024 03:11 PM IST

Regina Cassandra draws parallels between Bollywood and South industry (Photo: Regina Cassandra / Instagram)

Regina Cassandra, who is popularly known for her work in Telugu and Tamil films, has been juggling alot of projects in the Hindi film industry as well. Regina started working in the entertainment industry at the age of 14 and has spent all of her adult life in the industry. In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, Regina spoke about the similarities, as well as the difference between the Hindi and southern regional industries, and shared the challenges that an actor might face as they try to make their way in Bollywood.

Regina shared she learned Hindi in school on her mother’s insistence but it actually helped her a lot. “I know so many of my actress friends from the South who really struggle with the language. Language is the main barrier for someone coming from the South. In the North, they do sync sound, but in South, we dub. For me, there is a huge difference, I would rather sync sound than dub. They are pretty unforgiving in the North, if you can not get the language right, they are not going to take you. But in the South, if you cannot get the language right, they are still okay to take you to be a part of the film,” she said.

She added, “The kind of films that are being made in the South are more rooted, in the North it’s a lot more urban. When I started wanting to do work in the North, I was told that I would have to live in Mumbai and attend meetings. We don’t do that in the South. You network but it’s not like you meet people. There is no concept of a casting agent in the South, it’s just managers and PROs. Talent management agencies have now infiltrated the South markets. It’s a lot more of a competition when it comes to Hindi. For me, I am not the kind of a person who could sell myself for work. I can’t go lobbying for something. But then I realised that if I don’t do this, I wouldn’t get that.”

Also Read: Regina Cassandra says she’s stereotyped for being an actress: ‘When it comes to dating in South, mothers of guys have said ‘but she’s an actor’

Watch Regina Canssandra’s interview here:

She also said, “I understood that it was needed of me to do that, but it’s not how I would operate. A lot of people told me I was not aggressive enough like my other competitors and I made peace with it. For me, it was not about being easy or difficult. It just felt very forced. Everything in my life needs to be organic, otherwise I wouldn’t understand its importance. Now, I have a team who lobbies for me and I come down to just audition, and I am very happy with them.”

On the work front, Regina will be next seen in Vidaamuyarchi which also stars Ajith. She will also be a part of Gopichand Malineni’s Jaat, which stars Sunny Deol in the lead role. She will also be a part of Section 108, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Nawaz Javed Kochra

Nawaz Javed Kochra is a seasoned entertainment journalist at The Indian Express Online, bringing nearly a decade of expertise to the forefront of cultural reporting. With a focus on the television and Over-The-Top (OTT) landscapes, he has established himself as a prominent voice in the industry, known for his high-profile celebrity interviews and insightful coverage of the Indian entertainment sector. Experience & Career Nawaz holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Journalism from Mumbai University, providing him with a rigorous academic and ethical foundation. In his 11-year career, he has navigated through several of India's leading media houses, building a portfolio that spans digital, print, and broadcast media: The Indian Express: Currently leads coverage of TV and OTT content, producing both written analysis and popular video interview segments. Former Roles: He began his career at the iconic Stardust Magazine and later held key positions at Zoom TV, Zee Multimedia, MissMalini, Bollywood Bubble, and Raindrop Media. Expertise & Focus Areas Nawaz’s beat is characterized by a blend of exclusive access and trend analysis. His core areas of expertise include: Reality Television: Specialized coverage of major franchises like Bigg Boss, providing behind-the-scenes insights and winner profiles. OTT Ecosystem: Tracking the shift from traditional cable to digital streaming platforms, with a focus on web series and digital premieres. Celebrity Profiles & Interviews: Nawaz is celebrated for his ability to foster candid conversations with industry stalwarts, from music composers like Amaal Mallik to other TV legends. Investigative Entertainment News: Reporting on sensitive industry developments, including legal disputes and personal stories of resilience within the acting community. Authoritativeness & Trust With a reputation built on years of networking and credible reporting, Nawaz Kochra is a "known face" in the Mumbai media circuit. His work at The Indian Express adheres to the publication's "Journalism of Courage" standard, ensuring that even entertainment reporting is approached with accuracy, sensitivity, and transparency. His educational background and extensive tenure across diverse media platforms provide him with the authoritative perspective required to analyze the rapid evolution of Indian show business. ... Read More

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