Regina Cassandra Alleges Dharma Productions Ignored Her During 'Kesari 2' Promotions: 'Is It Because I'm South Indian?'
Actor Regina Cassandra, known for her work across multiple regional film industries and Bollywood, recently made startling claims against Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. She alleged that the prestigious production banner deliberately excluded her from the promotional campaign of their highly anticipated film Kesari 2, despite her playing a prominent role as lead actor Akshay Kumar's wife. In addition to calling out the snub, Regina also weighed in on the ongoing controversy sparked by Bollywood actresses Janhvi Kapoor and Radhika Apte's recent remarks about the South film industry. She strongly cautioned against generalising the industries and creating an unnecessary "North-South divide".
'They Didn't Even Tag Me'
In a candid new interview with India Today, the actress did not mince her words while expressing her profound disappointment with how Dharma Productions handled her association with the film. Revealing that she was completely sidelined during the marketing of Kesari 2, Regina stated that she was never given a valid reason for being left out of the film's promotions.
Connecting the debate back to her own baffling experience, Regina highlighted the inherent struggles faced by regional talents. "Janhvi has spoken about being objectified on Karan Johar's show, the same Karan's Dharma Productions decided not to promote me in their film Kesari 2. Now, what am I supposed to call that? Objectifying what? That I'm a South-Indian? Till date, I do not even know why they didn't. It is very strange," Regina claimed.
Highlighting a specific instance of the alleged snub, she pointed out how the production house managed the film's musical releases on social media. "They shared that Kesari 2's song on Instagram and I am featuring in that song from start to finish, but they didn't even tag me," she stated.
North-South Divide'
Regina's revelations arrive at a time when actresses like Janhvi Kapoor and Radhika Apte have openly criticised their experiences in the Telugu film industry, citing issues like objectification and a lack of bound scripts. While Regina acknowledged that actors should speak up if they feel uncomfortable, she questioned their approach, pointing out that privileged stars always have the agency to walk out of a project they disagree with.
"If you feel uncomfortable, please walk out of the film. I don't think we should put ourselves in a position where we say we had no choice. And this is not about men or women," she argued. Noting that neither Janhvi nor Radhika were in a position where they couldn't make a decision, she added that actors should walk away rather than generalising an entire industry later.
The actress strongly warned against turning these individual experiences into a broad attack on regional cinema. Expressing her displeasure, she said, "I really have a big issue when a North Indian actor talks about South Indian cinema like that because you're making a North-South divide without you even realising it, and that's absolutely wrong. There are different ways of handling this."
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About Regina Cassandra
Regina Cassandra is a prominent actress who has established a strong presence across the Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi entertainment industries. She made her Bollywood theatrical debut in 2019 with the Sonam Kapoor-starrer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. Over the years, the versatile actress has garnered widespread acclaim for her compelling performances in highly successful Hindi web series, including the critically acclaimed Rocket Boys and the hit crime thriller Farzi.
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