Regina Cassandra questions Karan Johar over alleged snub during Kesari 2 promotions

The debate around the portrayal of women in Indian cinema has taken another turn, with actor Regina Cassandra sharing her own experience of working in Hindi films. Reacting to recent remarks by Janhvi Kapoor and Radhika Apte about their experiences in Telugu cinema, Regina questioned the growing North-South narrative and alleged that Karan Johar's Dharma Productions did not give her due visibility during the promotions of Kesari Chapter 2, despite her playing a significant role in the film.

Regina Cassandra alleges Dharma Productions left her out of Kesari 2 promotions

Regina Cassandra has questioned Karan Johar over the alleged lack of promotional support she received for Kesari Chapter 2. The actor, who played Akshay Kumar's wife in the 2025 historical courtroom drama, claimed that despite having a prominent part in the film, her name was missing from its promotional campaign.

Also Read: Kesari Chapter 2 review: Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan are impactful in a riveting film about Jallianwala Bagh massacre

She raised the issue during an interview with India Today while discussing the recent debate surrounding Janhvi Kapoor's comments about her experience filming the Telugu movie Peddi and Radhika Apte's account of working in South Indian cinema. Regina also questioned the way conversations about women's experiences in regional film industries were being framed, arguing that they risked deepening the divide between the North and South.

Also Read: Kesari Chapter 2: Akshay Kumar urges fans not to be late and miss out on the movie's powerful opening scene

She said, "I feel like at the end of the day, if they feel uncomfortable, please walk out to the film. I don’t think we should be put in a place where we say we didn’t have a choice. This is not against a man or a woman. As a woman, it is very easy for me to take sides, I will obviously take the side of the woman, but I don’t think any of us today, especially the examples that you gave, I don’t think either of them are in a place where they can't walk out of a film, especially being who they are."

Regina Cassandra says she was excluded from ‘Kesari 2’ promotions

Regina further explained that the production house had released a song from Kesari Chapter 2 featuring her but did not acknowledge her on social media. "They released a song which featured me and posted it. I wasn't given a single tag," she said.

Also Read: Before Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2, these films depicted the story of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre

The actor added that she had faced prejudice while working in the Hindi film industry and felt that her identity as a South Indian performer had sometimes affected how she was perceived. "I faced a lot of stigma when I acted in the North. I face stigma because I'm a South Indian actress. My Hindi is good, and I can act," she said.

Regina played Parvathy Nair, the wife of Akshay Kumar's character, C. Sankaran Nair, in Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh. The film was backed by Dharma Productions.

About Regina Cassandra

Born in Chennai in 1990, Regina Cassandra is a renowned actress who has worked in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films. She made her entry into the showbiz industry at the age of nine as a television anchor. She made her acting debut as a child actress in the Tamil film Kanda Naal Mudhal in 2005.

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She gained widespread recognition with her Telugu debut, Siva Manasulo Sruthi (2012), winning the SIIMA Award for Best Female Debut – Telugu. She has been part of films including Evaru (2019), Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019), Jaat (2025). Apart from films, Regina has also featured in web series including Rocket Boys, Farzi, and Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke.