BANITA SANDHU - FROM BOLLYWOOD TO BRIDGERTON

ONCE CONFLICTED ABOUT NOT BEING INDIAN OR BRITISH ENOUGH, THE STUNNING ACTRESS HAS NOW EMBRACED HER DUAL IDENTITY AND IS LEARNING TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD MOST RECENTLY THAT OF REGENCY ENGLAND! ON HER OWN TERMS. THOUGH TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT HER RUMOURED LOVE LIFE, SHE TELLS HELLO! THAT OFF WORK, THERE’S ONLY ONE PLACE YOU'LL FIND HER: AT HOME, IN SWEATPANTS AND A T-SHIRT

- PUJA TALWAR

Playing the poised Lady Sita Malhotra in season 3 of Bridgerton, who happens to be one of Queen Charlotte’s many debutantes, Banita Sandhu’s appearance in the hit American series surprised us all! Banita recollects the whirlwind moment she got the call to audition for the show while on a family holiday — though nothing out of the ordinary for the actress, given her hectic lifestyle. “The turnaround in this case was too quick for me to even process what had happened,” she reveals in an exclusive conversation from London. “I shot the audition tape myself, two days later I was booked, and the next thing I knew, I was in costume!” She adds, “It was fun playing dress-up in the Bridgerton universe. I barely wore make-up in other movies I’ve done, since my directors want me to look rather plain. So it was nice to book a job where I got to glam up and feel good about myself.”

THE BIG BREAKTHROUGH

Describing her days on set as hanging out with friends, one cannot deny the statement the show has made when it comes to inclusive storylines. Set in the early 19th century, Bridgerton is aptly described as a “Regencyera Gossip Girl.” The show hit a sweet spot as it not only provided steamy, romantic escapism but also, bent the rules of the stiff British high society. From passionate romances between interracial couples, queer storylines as well as empowered women, the show truly struck a chord for its diverse and “colour-blind” casting.