TEEN TALENT AVANTIKA VANDANAPU DISCUSSES HER MOVE FROM INDIAN CINEMA TO HOLLYWOOD
THE latest south Asian star to emerge in the Hollywood sky is 16-year-old American actress Avantika Vandanapu.
The talented American teenager found success in India at the age of 10 with a string of successful films, alongside big-named stars, and commercials across three years, before returning to the US. After strong supporting roles in Hollywood films, TV shows and high-profile theatre productions, the trained actress, fluent in English, Tamil, Spanish, Hindi, and Telugu, landed the lead role in recently released movie Spin.
The coming-of-age Disney drama sees her play the daughter of a widowed father who unexpectedly finds her calling in DJing. With more Hollywood projects on the way, including Senior Year, and plans to become a producer she has become one to watch.
Eastern Eye caught up with rising star Avantika to discuss her new film Spin, impressive rise, ambitious plans, and her new-found DJing skills.
How have you handled so many acting projects at a young age?
I have amazing, supportive people around me who help me make solid decisions and manage pressure. With them around me, I feel better about dealing with the relatively new aspects of being an actor in both India and America. Truly, a good support system makes all the difference. Also, it can be quite overwhelming to be working in two industries (Hollywood and Indian cinema), simultaneously. Feeling like I have to take every job that comes my way and worrying about spreading myself too thin, are emotions I am all too familiar with.
What helps you manage that?
I find that having role models who are successfully managing careers in two or more industries is so helpful. Looking at their career paths, I try my best to emulate them in my own work, while also staying true to myself.
What was it like moving back to America after three years of working in India?
I moved to India soon after I booked my first Telugu film. It was quite a transition as I had grown up in America, but it was a leap I had to take for my passion. My parents were also big supporters of my journey, so I remain very thankful to them. After three years of working in India, I decided to finally return to America because I felt that opportunities for people of colour were growing in Hollywood. I wanted to take a shot at pursuing my dreams in my homeland. After returning to the US, I realised that Hollywood had more acting roles and movies I was drawn to working in. I was determined to make a career for myself, and here we are now.
Spin
What was the experience of being a part of pathbreaking animated series Mira, Royal Detective?
I loved voicing an animated character. It was such an interesting experience. Watching your voice come to life in the format of a painting, of sorts, was so amazing. Aside from the voiceover aspect of the project, I was honoured to be a part of Disney’s first south Asian animated show. I met wonderful people and members of the south Asian community through Mira, Royal Detective – for that, I will remain eternally grateful.
How did you feel landing the lead role in Spin?
Unlike most “you booked it” calls, I was told that I got the role in the (audition) room! I was not expecting it at all because it’s not really a common practice to tell an actor that they booked the part in the room. As you can imagine, I was in tears and overwhelmed by the big news. I bet, somewhere in Disney’s archives, there’s a video of me crying in the room with my audition sides in my hands.
Tell us about your new film Spin?
Spin covers the journey of Rhea Kumar, an Indian American teenager coming of age and discovering her passions. Rhea struggles to juggle family, friends, responsibilities to her family’s restaurant, coding club, and her new-found interest in music, reignited by Max. Throughout the film, Rhea learns the importance of prioritising, keeping her morals, juggling various things on her plate, and aiming for the stars. It’s a beautiful, empowering story about a young girl who aspires to be a musician, and how she goes about it.
Tell us a little more about your character Rhea?
Rhea is a bubbly, determined, and extraordinarily loyal person. She is definitely relatable in the sense that she’s struggling with confidence and having trust in her capabilities – an obstacle many teenagers face. Her love for music and her perseverance is inspiring and I hope that those qualities will motivate viewers to take a leap of faith when it comes to pursuing their passion.
What was the biggest challenge of acting in the movie?
One of the main challenges I faced while playing Rhea Kumar was overcoming the nerves I had, of this being my first feature film in America. I didn’t want to let anyone down and wanted to ensure that I did my best job for this movie.
What was it like working with Bollywood actor Abhay Deol and British actress Meera Syal in Spin?
For being artists of such calibre, all of them are such humble and considerate people. They remind me to stay grounded no matter where the industry takes me. Abhay ji, Meera ji, and Aryan (Simhadri) are all such giving actors as well, it is an absolute pleasure to work alongside them.
Do you now have any DJing skills?
Preceding this film, I had absolutely no experience of DJing. However, I received nearly two months of training for this film from our wonderful music composer Marius and our on-set DJ VJ. The classes really helped me understand the fundamentals of beat-matching, song-selection, and gave me a much-needed insight into a DJ’s mind. By no means am I a professional DJ, but I’m glad I received such amazing training because it immensely helped me to get into Rhea’s character.
What music dominates your own personal playlist?
I love listening to r’n’b, 80’s pop, and jazz music.
What kind of roles do you want to play in the future?
I would like to be a part of empowering movies that shed light on important issues in our society. It’s very crucial for me to play roles in films that can truly make a difference.
Is it true that you are already thinking of producing?
Yes! I recently optioned the rights of a New York times best-selling trilogy of books. I would like to start off producing one of the books. I am currently in the initial stages of pitching the idea of the movie to producers and production companies.
What inspires you?
I don’t really know how to answer this question without sounding generic. But truthfully, people inspire me. People are so beautiful and the desire to tell stories to them and to tell their stories inspires me.
Why should we all watch Spin?
Watch Spin if you need a little boost in mood, daily inspiration, or just want to forget about the world for a minute.
Adrian Lester, best known for his work on television and film, returns to the stage in the eponymous role of Edmond Rostand's 1898 comedy, Cyrano de Bergerac.
Rostland’s play centres around Cyrano - a little-known romantic 17th century French libertine poet, soldier, and philosopher. The play is based partly on his letters written on behalf of his love rival Christian de Neuvillette as he tries to charm Cyrano’s cousin, Roxanne with whom Cyrano is also in love.
Cyrano is cursed with an overt self-consciousness in the form of a large nose. His insecurity is such that he prohibits anyone to refer to it directly or indirectly. Together with his wit, his skills as a swordsman, and the directorial splattering of our own vernacular, they provide the play with a certain infectious - albeit teenage - humour.
Despite Cyrano unexpressed love for Roxanne, the latter has fallen for Christian who is handsome, but useless when it comes to expressing his feelings in words. But then, he is also useless as a swordsman and clearly no match for Cyrano’s mastery and maturity. Realising this and being utterly selfless, Cyrano offers his help to the youthful Christian to woo Roxanne by writing for him poetic and hyperbolic proclamations of love and longing. All he wants is Roxanne to be happy even if he himself has to do with nursing a broken heart.
Christian Patterson and Levi BrownMarc Brenner
The result is a farce of the highest order and mistaken identity, coupled with threat and violence
This RSC production is directed by Simon Evans who has provided a very lively and engaging interpretation by all accounts. Apart from a skilled, highly polished ensemble of cast, there’s interesting theatricality at work. Every now and then, for instance, one gets a sense that the stage is a reflection of our own world and vice versa. Characters mingle with the audience, they break the fourth wall, and the theatre band wander around with the characters and referred to with some bemusement and fun.
In a 17th century French world – not unlike our own, 21st century – external beauty, speech, language are prized. Expression has become almost secondary. It’s a world in which fakery, deception and lies are paced above sincerity, honesty, and truth. Looks and external beauty outweigh the inner beauty of man.
Evans removes the original piece from its French setting to England, littering it with a Brummie accent, and accentuating our preconceptions about hopeless romantics and those with meaningless verbiage. The effect is one of joyous atmosphere and true entertainment.
Adrian Lester provides a magnificent performance as the wordsmith, Cyrano. His character is verbose, comedic, and sympathetic in equal measures. Lester is enticing, hilarious and – judging by the reaction of the audience –appreciated as a versatile actor who can do comedy just as well as drama. Levi Brown’s Christian is a fiery - overtly hopeless - romantic who cannot paint his feelings into words. Brown gives a very energetic and magnetic performance. Similarly, Susannah Fielding provides a sprightly Roxanne who is heart-warming and an utter pleasure to watch.
Adrian Lester (front right) and companyMarc Brenner
It’s hard not to notice but as an audience, we are invited to consider the value of language that may sound romantic, but may – in actual fact – be little more than a shallow expression of fancy. Whereas, the seemingly absence of language – though painfully inadequate - may actually embody real sincerity and the true meaning of love.
Whatever you may think, one thing is certain: you will enjoy this production. It’s a real treat.
The play started at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in early September, with its run lasting until 15th November.
Rating: ***** (5 stars)
(Cyrano de Bergerac is playing at the RSC Stratford until 15th November 2025.)
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