I’ve Been Underpaid During My Earlier Days: Regina Cassandra

Regina Cassandra, who was last seen in Telugu action comedy Saakini Daakini, has been working across various south film industries for many years. In a conversation with Ramya Subramanian, the actress opens up about how she was underpaid as a South Indian during her earlier days, and also goes on to share a few learnings from those years.

When asked about her initial few years in cinema, Regina shares that her mother doubled up as her manager back then. “My mum was my first manager, as were many mums for many actresses. I’m the kind of person who would make the most out of something. I might grumble to my mother about it, and sometimes I am ignorant to all this, because it doesn’t matter. But as a South Indian, with my mum managing my career, I have been underpaid for the work that I have done,” the actress says.

Those initial few years are also what made her who she is today. She goes on to explain this with an amusing anecdote about a promotional interview that she had given for her first Telugu film Siva Manasulo Sruthi (2012). “That film built a career for me. I had gone for its promotions for a radio show, and I had gone there wearing just a kurta and jeans, with damp hair and no makeup. The interview was amazing, and they said there were photographers to take pictures of me,” recalls Cassandra, who was unaware of radio promotional events involving photoshoots. “And oh god, those pictures are still on the internet! This was such a big learning for me. That is when I realised that it is not just about your payments, the kind of films you are offered, but also about how you present yourself. So, since then, I have always had my stylist and makeup artist with me. I do not go for promotions without them.”