Regina Cassandra REVEALS Her South Indian Identity Got Her Fewer Opportunities in Bollywood, Says ‘Was Treated in Derogatory Manner’

Actor Regina Cassandra, a prominent face in Tamil and Telugu cinema, has spoken out about the regional discrimination she faced during her transition into the Hindi film industry. In a candid interview, the actress revealed that her South Indian identity often led to fewer opportunities and a "derogatory" environment on sets, highlighting a persistent divide between regional industries and Bollywood. Regina Cassandra Birthday: Most Fashionable Instagram Clicks of the Pretty Actress.

 Regina Cassandra Exposes Bollywood

Despite her established success in the South, Cassandra admitted that entering the Mumbai-based industry came with unexpected hurdles. She described an atmosphere where she felt marginalised, not just through verbal remarks, but through the professional conduct of those around her.

The actress told Hindustan Times, "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."

Regina Cassandra’s Instagram Post

The actor noted that these experiences led to significant "inhibitions" when working in the North, though she clarified that such treatment was not universal across all her Hindi projects.

The Language Double Standard

One of the primary frustrations Cassandra highlighted was the disparity in how language proficiency is judged. While she is fluent in Hindi and provides her own dubbing, she observed that South Indian actors are often scrutinised more harshly than their North Indian counterparts.

"Compared to most South Indians, my Hindi is way better. I can read, write, and speak Hindi," she explained. She pointed out the irony where North Indian actresses frequently lead major South Indian films without knowing the local language, yet South Indian actors are often dismissed for Hindi roles if even a slight accent is detected.

"I can’t play a Punjabi girl, and that’s okay. But a Punjabi girl can play a South Indian girl and it has happened to me," she remarked, questioning the logic of casting choices that favour outsiders even for roles rooted in her own culture.

Stereotyping and Professional Resistance

Beyond regional bias, Cassandra spoke about the broader issue of sexism and the pressure to conform to "mainstream commercial" archetypes. She emphasised that as a woman in a visual medium, it is exceptionally easy to be pigeonholed into specific roles.

"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," she said. This commitment to versatility, she suggests, has further limited her volume of work in an industry that often prioritises "bankable" stereotypes over range.

Regina Cassandra’s Bollywood Films and Web Series

Despite the challenges, Cassandra has built a steady presence in the Hindi market. Since her debut in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019), she has moved into high-profile digital projects and major theatrical releases. ‘Kesari Chapter 2’ is a Lie? How Akshay Kumar’s Movie Completely Reimagines C Sankaran Nair’s Legal Battle Over Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (SPOILER ALERT).

She gained critical acclaim for her role as Mrinalini Sarabhai in the SonyLIV series Rocket Boys and appeared in the hit Prime Video series Farzi. More recently, she starred in the high-octane action film Jaat (2025) alongside Sunny Deol and the sequel Kesari Chapter 2.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 17, 2026 04:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).