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- On Our Radar: Avantika Vandanapu Hopes to Bring South Asians Solace With Disney's Spin
On Our Radar: Avantika Vandanapu Hopes to Bring South Asians Solace With Disney's Spin
Courtesy of Disney / Kharen Hill
Since I grew up watching basically every Disney Channel movie and TV show in the books (and I can still quote Lizzie McGuire to this day), I was extremely thrilled to learn about Manjari Makijany’s new movie for the iconic network called Spin. The movie follows 15-year-old Rhea, who is played by actress Avantika Vandanapu, as she discovers her love of DJing while navigating her South Asian culture and identity at the same time. Being Indian and working in a field that has traditionally been considered ‘less than’ myself, it was pretty awesome seeing representation on the big screen and watching a young South Asian woman follow her dreams. I virtually sat down with Avantika to learn more about the movie and what landing this pivotal character meant to her.
“I feel so grateful that I was trusted with this opportunity because I think this is a big movie for the South Asian community and I hope I did justice to our people.”
“It’s so surreal. I’ve always wanted to be an actor and I have always dreamt of working in this industry, but to be on, like you said, such an iconic network, like Disney is just insane to me,” Avantika told me during a press junket. “I feel so grateful that I was trusted with this opportunity because I think this is a big movie for the South Asian community and I hope I did justice to our people. I hope that they find a little bit of comfort in the characters on screen.”
Courtesy of Disney / Kharen Hill
The 16-year-old actually learned that she got the role in the coolest way possible. “I found out [I got the role] after my last audition, which was in front of the entire Disney network. They asked me to step out for two minutes and dismissed everyone else in the waiting room. Then, they called me back in and Gary Marsh who is the president of Disney Channel had heard that I could speak a little bit of Hindi. Somehow, he learned how to say ‘You booked the role’ in Hindi within the two minutes that I had stepped out. When I came in he said, ‘I need you to repeat after me,’ and said ‘you booked the role’ in Hindi. I was so stressed out and confused with the fact that he was asking me to speak in Hindi that I didn’t fully register what he said. The director Manjari had to repeat, ‘Avantika, you booked the role!!'”
Courtesy of Disney / Kharen Hill
Throughout the movie, there were many scenes that reminded me of my own upbringing and I wanted to know if Avantika felt the same. “The one scene that really struck a chord with me and really stuck with me was a scene that I shot with Meera Syal, who plays Rhea’s Nani [grandmother]. That scene was really emotional because I didn’t have a figure like her in my life growing up. It was just so important and heartwarming to have that experience, even if it was on screen. Meera was such a support system for me throughout the whole movie and I love her so much.”
Courtesy of Disney / Kharen Hill
Another aspect of the movie that really resonated with me was seeing Indian clothing being featured in the film. Plus, Avantika is clearly becoming a fashionista off-camera as well. In fact, while we were talking, she was wearing a gorgeous red polka-dot minidress with dramatic puff-sleeves, which she styled herself. Clearly she has a love for fashion, so I had to know if there were any South Asian designers she’s been loving lately. “Prabal Gurung. It’s just great to see celebrities and actors wear his designs. I also recently learned about the brand Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika and I think she’s so great as well. I haven’t had the chance to wear anything by her, but hopefully, in the future, I’d love to!”
Courtesy of Disney / Kharen Hill
Being that the film is all about breaking down barriers and Avantika basically did that herself by landing this role as a young South Asian woman, I asked the actress if she had any advice for someone who had similar dreams. “I know this is a general statement but just know that everything is going to be okay. It truly is. When I was going through the same stuff that Rhea was [in the movie], it would’ve helped to have someone come and say, ‘It is all going to be okay.’ A big part of the film is that Rhea’s overwhelmed by all so many different things and expectations, which sometimes she puts on herself. To know that everything is going to be okay and that things will figure themselves out is something that’s very comforting.”
Spin releases on Disney Channel on August 13th.