Regina Cassandra, who mostly features in Tamil and Telugu films, is grabbing a lot of attention on OTT for her power-packed portrayal of Kavya Iyer in Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke and Rekha Rao in Farzi. She is all set to return as Mrinalini Sarabhai, along with Ishwak Singh, Jim Sarbh and others, in Abhay Pannu’s Rocket Boys Season 2. The Telegraph Online chatted with Regina, who made her Bollywood debut in the Sonam Kapoor-starrer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, about her career high.
The Telegraph Online: 2023 opened on a big high for you. We are not even down with the first quarter of the year, but you have three back-to-back releases…
Regina Cassandra: (Laughs) It did! It feels really good. I am so happy. I am glad to be a part of this conversation. In January, Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke came up. Then, I didn’t expect what came along with Farzi. And now Rocket Boys Season 2 is up for release. The first half of the year has been a bang! I think the fruits of my labour are paying off.
You have been featured in IMDb’s top 10 popular Indian celebrities list. How do you see this adulation?
Regina Cassandra: Happiness! As much as I am detached from what comes my way, I take it in my stride — the good, the bad and the ugly. When I see wholehearted appreciation, I feel happy. I didn’t tell any of my friends about Farzi because I had shot for only four to five days. Everyone who saw me in Farzi was so surprised and reached out to tell me how beautiful it is. It helped psychologically. Honestly, I have been there for such a long time doing my thing. I started my career in 2011 and I have been acting from even before. I have seen so much. I am so happy to sit here today where so many people are still excited to see my work. It taught me a lot about myself as a person. It also taught me lessons like patience.
You said you are detached. Can you elaborate?
Regina Cassandra: Yes, I am. I have always been that kind of a person. It’s very important to have healthy attachments and detachments that I take to work.
You bring a lot of grace to your characters. Is it partly your personality too?
Regina Cassandra: I do like to live with grace and compassion more so now. My characters such as Mrinalini Sarabhai (Rocket Boys) and Kavya Iyer (Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke) are mothers, but they take up challenging professional lives as well. There is a bit of grace as I am in touch with my feminine side at the end of the day.
In Rocket Boys Season 1, we saw Mrinalini Sarabhai as a progressive and fashionable working woman. How did you approach her older self in Season 2?
Regina Cassandra: I am happy that Abhay (Pannu, director) shot Season 1 and Season 2 together. As an actor, I didn’t feel the pressure. When I went back to shoot a few scenes, it was great to shoot the older side of Mrinalini Sarabhai where she has accomplished a lot but there’s a relationship dynamic with Vikram Sarabhai, which is a beautiful track as the men are making India a nuclear nation.
She was a pioneer in art, in bringing about awareness through Bharatanatyam. Even with the sari she wore, she never had too much jewellery on when she didn’t perform. The way she carried herself was very enigmatic and fashionable. I am happy to play that person’s life and to thrive in the times when everyone had a fire in them, and patriotism was at its peak. Everyone had a story to tell.
Tell us about the experience of collaborating with your recent directors — Raj and DK (Farzi), Srijit Mukherji (Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke), and Abhay Pannu (Rocket Boys Season 1 and 2).
Regina Cassandra: They are very different. Raj and DK are not only amazing directors, they are amazing human beings as well. Both are very genuine and inclusive as individuals. I am in great sync with them. Srijit is a powerhouse of knowledge on a lot of things. Srijit and Abhay are perfectionists. Abhay is a debutant director, yet he has outdone himself. I relate to their perfectionism as I am one as well. They are distinct and different from each other in approach, and I am happy to be putting my trust in them.
