20 years of Regena Cassandra: A peek into her film journey, Christmas rituals, and life beyond screen

I don’t often romanticise the past, what I’ve been through or everything that’s happened, unless I’m prompted to reflect on it. When I do, it’s less about nostalgia and more a rush of emotions. And there has been a lot, especially for someone who never set out to choose this field as a career or intended to define themselves by it.

It almost feels as if I was chosen for this path. In the early years of my life, I never pushed myself in that direction, and neither did anyone around me. Even when people asked where I saw myself in five years, I wasn’t planning or mapping things out. I wasn’t thinking in terms of targets, achievements, or bank balances.

What’s fascinating is that everything has happened organically. Every step has been a decision made at the moment. Of course, there’s been anxiety, joy, and moments that were utterly overwhelming. Through it all, the journey has taught me a great deal about myself and the person I am. I’ve never defined myself solely by my work, but through the experiences, both challenging and rewarding, everything I’ve encountered has shaped who I am today. For that, I am genuinely grateful, however the path has unfolded.

I mean, evolving happens regardless, doesn’t it? And I’ve realised that I actually thrive outside my comfort zone. I’m a millennial, so let’s just say I might have a few attention deficit tendencies that were never ‘formally’ diagnosed. I struggle with concentration. Because of that, I tend to thrive in chaos. And this industry is pure chaos. There’s order in it, of course, but at its core, it’s chaotic, no matter how much planning you do. I’ve had the chance to work on really big-budget films, and that’s shown me the difference between smaller projects and larger ones, between Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi films, and the different ways people approach the same medium. It’s all cinema, but those experiences taught me a lot about how I operate, especially under pressure. When a deadline looms, I actually work really well. I do tend to introspect quite a bit. So, if you asked me what I’ve learnt, it would be those things.

As I said, everything and everyone evolves. It has to. There’s really no other way forward, at least that’s how I see it. Cinema isn’t just art; it’s a business, often more business than anything else. You can make a genuinely good film, but if you’re unable to sell it today, that film can sit on a shelf for years.

Pan-Indian cinema, in that sense, is one of the most practical ways to recover costs and make the model sustainable. It makes good business sense. And from an artiste’s perspective, especially for someone like me, who knows Hindi and can speak, read and write it, and also manages other regional languages, it offers a clear advantage. It opens up more opportunities.

However, pan-Indian cinema is just one step in the evolution. The next step is global. We’re already seeing South Indian actors reach international platforms, and this trend is only going to grow. In the coming years, there will be far more actors on the global stage than we saw five years ago.

Before the pandemic, ‘pan-Indian cinema’ wasn’t even a commonly used term. Today, the phrase itself has been used, and perhaps overused, but the idea behind it remains valid. Whether we like it or not, this is the direction cinema is heading, and it feels like the only way forward.

Honestly, I try to find extracurricular activities that help keep me grounded because, as I said, I’ve had attention issues. I was a very hyperactive kid. This industry, in a way, has mellowed me out, especially in terms of what I can do physically. But I love being outdoors. I love pushing my body through physical activity and my mind through mental challenges.

Stand-up paddling does that for me. There was a time when I was going through something personal, and I had to remind myself that the sun is going to set. Everything around you continues as planned, and you have to move on too. You grieve, and then you move on.

The moment I take the board and paddle out into the middle of the ocean, everything just settles. It’s just this vast expanse and you, and I feel like I’m truly a part of the world. I feel like I’ll rise again, my day will continue, I’ll wake up breathing, and life will go on.

Stand-up paddling gives me that clarity. Riding a bike does the same. But the tricky part is that all of this requires a lot of planning. If I want to take the board out, I have to coordinate timings; it’s either before sunrise or closer to sunset. And bike rides have to be before sunrise too, to avoid traffic.

Because of all this planning, my routine ends up being quite chaotic. I have a very erratic schedule—here one day, there the next, sleeping at odd hours. Finding a balance between everything is actually a task.

I tend to make impulsive decisions. Sometimes I make choices influenced by people close to me; if I’ve decided on something, someone I care about can make me change my mind if they push hard enough. And what I’ve learnt, or at least what I’m trying to learn, is not to be too hard on myself when I make a decision and it doesn’t work out.

There’s no such thing as a typical day for me. I’m either travelling or getting ready to travel. Even when I’m not working, I’m still on the move—doing something, going somewhere. So, if I had to describe a ‘typical’ day, it would probably be travelling from one place to another, either for work or what I’d call a personal getaway.

I wouldn’t really call them holidays, though, because I don’t just switch off and relax. I’m not the sort of person who says, ‘Right, let’s do nothing for two days.’ If I’m somewhere, I’m doing something. I’m hiking, spending time outdoors, rafting if there’s a river, jumping into the water, cycling—anything, really. I just need to stay active and keep moving.

When I started out, I didn’t really have anyone guiding me. I was figuring out what worked and what didn’t. I had just graduated from college. I remember during my first Telugu film (Siva Manasulo Sruthi), when I had to go for a radio promotion. I took a shower like I would on any normal day—no blow-drying, no styling, just air-dried hair. I wore a kurta, jeans, chappal, maybe a touch of kajal, and that’s it.

I went in, did the interview, and then they said, ‘Now we’ll take pictures.’ And I looked like a college kid who’d just popped in for a chat. But they were quite insistent, and I couldn’t say no. Those pictures are still floating around on the internet.

After that day, I swore I’d never go for anything work-related half-prepared or without knowing exactly what it involved. Even if it’s a work event, an NGO event, or something personal, I’ve realised that people want to see Regena, the actress. And if I’m playing a part, I might as well play it to the fullest.

Since then, my team has grown, I know what I need to do, and I know how to show up. I’ve always known what to say; I think I’ve had the gift of the gab from a young age. I’m fairly outspoken, and I know when to talk and when not to. Because of my early experiences in front of the camera—with Splash channel and the many ad films I’d done—confidence was never something I consciously thought about. I never saw myself as ‘a confident child’. I still questioned myself, criticised myself, and then just went out there and did the work.

So, when you ask if there’s a fashion phase I look back on and laugh about—yes, that radio interview would definitely be it.

Please don’t overthink it—although, telling someone not to overthink is usually what pushes them even further down that hole. Maybe I’d say, ‘learn to understand the difference between fear and intuition.’ That feels important. I wouldn’t even call it advice; more like a footnote.

So, every year, I try to make sure that my close friends, family, and everyone I’ve worked with receive something from me for Christmas. I follow this little tradition of sending out something I’ve made; something I’ve personally put my time and effort into, whether it’s craftsmanship or some form of creative work. It’s usually a small gift hamper, but it’s my work, and it’s often connected to an NGO I want to support. The tradition of giving at Christmas is something I’ve always tried to observe.

Of course, there are the usual things too—putting up the tree, having people over. Plum cake and mulled wine non-negotiable. My mum will chastise are me if I don’t go to church, so if I’m in town, I make it a point to attend. We’ll have a glass of wine together—though she doesn’t really drink with me—but it’s still our little Christmas ritual.

I can be both—it really depends on my mood and the people around me. If I have the kind of company I want to sit quietly with and celebrate in a calm, peaceful way, I’ll do that. And if I’m with people I want to party with, let loose with, and maybe dance a bit with, then I’ll do that too.

Mulled wine—that goes without saying. And then all the food, all the amazing food. My mum makes some truly incredible things—plum cakes, rose cookies, all of that.

I’m not really someone who stops myself from enjoying these things even on an ordinary day, so when it comes to food and celebrations, especially during the festive season, I go all out. There’s absolutely no guilt about it.

Mookuthi Amman 2 is in the lineup, along with The Wives with Madhur Bhandarkar. There’s also Section 108 with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, for which we’ve completed filming. These are the three projects currently lined up.

Early morning shoot.

Beach hair.

It doesn't matter.

Oh, heels, always. I started wearing them at a very young age, and I’m still a heels person for most events and outfits. For dancing, I do go for trainers, but otherwise, it’s always heels. I’ve actually bought about ten new pairs in the last two months—I probably have around 150 pairs in total!

Skincare day.

Mulled wine on Christmas but hot chocolate on other days.

Secret Santa.

Christmas music.

Oh, that’s a tough one, but I’d say home—because then I get to celebrate exactly how I like, picking out gifts and putting them under the tree for everyone.

Wrapping presents.

Dinner feast, definitely. But if it’s just mom and me, we usually enjoy a nice Christmas morning breakfast too.