Regina Cassandra

Biography

Regina Cassandra (born 13 December 1990) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Tamil and Telugu films. She made her acting debut in a supporting role with the Tamil film Kanda Naal Mudhal (2005) and made her Telugu film debut with Siva Manasulo Sruthi (2012), for which she won the SIIMA Award for Best Female Debut – Telugu.

 She made her Hindi film debut with Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019).

Cassandra's first film is Surya Kanthi Kannada movie (2010), initially worked in successful films including Routine Love Story (2010), Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (2013), Power and Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham both (2014).

 She received praise for her portrayal of a traditional girl in Subramanyam for Sale (2015), a dental student in Jyo Achyutananda (2016), a youngster in Maanagaram (2017), and a drug addict in Awe (2018). She received the SIIMA Award for Best Actress – Telugu nomination for Jyo Achyutananda.

Cassandra received the SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role nomination for her portrayal of a businesswoman in Evaru (2019). Further success came with Silukkuvarupatti Singam (2018), Nenjam Marappathillai, Mughizh both (2021), and Saakini Daakini (2022). 

She made her web debut with Rocket Boys (2022), for which she received a Filmfare OTT Best Supporting Actor – Female nomination.

Cassandra is a CineMAA Award and a Zee Telugu Apsara Award recipient. In addition to her acting career, she is a prominent celebrity endorser for brands and products.

Cassandra was born on 13 December 1990 in Madras (now Chennai) in a Tamil family. Her mother tongue is Tamil. She was nine years old when she started anchoring for Splash, a kids' channel. 

She completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the Women's Christian College, Chennai, and did a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from the University of Madras. Cassandra started anchoring when she was nine for Splash, a kids' channel and then moved on to work in commercials.

Her first feature film appearance was the Tamil film Kanda Naal Mudhal (2005). She later played the lead in the Kannada film Suryakaanti (2010) by director K. M. Chaitanya of Aa Dinagalu fame. 

The film featured her alongside actor Chetan, and as she could not speak Kannada, she was told to act out scenes in English and add Kannada to it. The film won good reviews and performed moderately at the box office.

 However, the film's low-key release meant that the film failed to gain attention, so she took time out from films and then went on to graduate in psychology from Women's Christian College, Chennai, and took another year off before taking a final call on joining movies.

During her break, Cassandra also acted in several short films, including Balaji Mohan's Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi alongside Adith Arun, which was later made into a feature film in 2012 under the same name.

 In 2010, it was announced that she would feature in the Tamil film Maalai Pozhudhin Mayakathilaey alongside Adith Arun, but the film was eventually delayed and then restarted with a fresh cast.