Regina Cassandra has hit back strongly at the recent comments made by Bollywood actresses about South Indian cinema. Reacting to Janhvi Kapoor’s remarks on Peddi and Radhika Apte’s comments on her Telugu film experience, Regina said such statements create a North-South divide.
She also made a big revelation about how she was treated during the promotions of a Dharma Productions film.
“A North-South Divide”
Regina made it clear she has a problem with how some North Indian actors talk about South cinema.
“I have a problem when a North Indian actor speaks about South Indian cinema in a way that creates a North-South divide,” she said.
Her Dharma Productions Experience
Regina then turned the spotlight on Bollywood itself, pointing to Karan Johar, on whose show Janhvi made her Peddi remarks.
“The same Karan Johar, whose Dharma Productions film I acted in, decided not to promote me despite me playing a prominent role. My name was dropped from the promotions without any explanation,” she said.
She added that even a song featuring her was released without crediting her.
“They released a song featuring me but did not even tag me. What am I supposed to call this? Is it because I am a South Indian actress?” she asked.
The Comments That Started It
The debate began when Janhvi Kapoor, speaking on Koffee with Karan, said she should have been more vigilant while shooting Peddi with Ram Charan. She described the experience as violating, and said bound scripts and detailed camera angles are rarely shared with actors in South Indian cinema.
Days later, Radhika Apte criticised Balakrishna’s Legend while promoting her Netflix series Akka, saying she had to marry her own uncle in the film and romance a much older co-star in a patriarchal setup.
Both comments drew strong reactions from Telugu audiences, who felt South cinema was being singled out.
A Voice From the South
Regina’s remarks carry weight because she has worked across Telugu, Tamil and Hindi cinema. Her words turn the conversation around, suggesting that the bias isn’t only in the South, and that South Indian actresses face unfair treatment in Bollywood too.
The Debate Continues
Regina’s comments have added a fresh angle to a debate that has been heating up for days. With an actress from the South now speaking out about her own experience in Bollywood, the North-South conversation is likely to get even louder.