Regina Cassandra doesn’t want to do too many item songs: It’s a matter of being typecast

During a recent interaction, actor Regina Cassandra stated that her dance number Saana Kastam from the upcoming Chiranjeevi starrer Acharya would be her first and last, and that she doesn’t want to do any more dance numbers. Speaking to us, Cassandra says that reaction stemmed from the fact that she didn’t want to be stereotyped a certain way.

“A few years ago, I was offered a song with (actor) Chiranjeevi gaaru. After that, I got many more offers to do item numbers. Makers felt that if I did a dance number in a film, why can’t I do it in another? It’s a matter of being typecast,” she tells us.

But the 31-year-old is quick to add that she doesn’t want to pander to what she stated about not doing dance numbers anymore. She elaborates, “If something makes me want to do one very strongly in the near future, I may do it. I’ve never and I will never put that pressure on myself to do listen to what I’ve said in an interview. In fact, doing a dance number with Chiranjeevi gaaru has been on my bucket list. I’m glad I got to do it.”

Though item numbers have often been slammed for objectifying women, the Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) actor says that she remains unfazed by such conversations. “I don’t feel like my ideologies [as a feminist] are clashing,” she asserts, and adds, “Recently someone said why can’t we refer to an item number as a special number? But I don’t get irked by it. Whether it’s an item song or a celebration song, I remain unbothered because I’m an actor at the end of the day.”

Cassandra is not the one to judge an actor’s choices. And hence, she has no deal-breakers when it comes to portraying a scene onscreen. “When we start questioning everything, we’ll be left with no answers. I enjoyed every bit of having danced to a song, playing a strong women or doing a murder onscreen. It’s all part of art. As an actor, I’m impressed and proud of myself that I’m getting to do so many things,” she ends.

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