The mainstream Hindi film industry has largely ignored Northeast India. However, director Anubhav Sinha and actor Ayushmann Khurrana, both known for their issue-based projects, have explored the region's complexities in their recently released film Anek.
The socio-political thriller challenges the average person's misconceptions about the region and stars a female lead from the Northeast, Andrea Kevichusa, who plays the role of a boxer Aido.
Kevichusa, from Nagaland, is delighted that Indian cinema, often criticized for its lack of representation of actors from the Northeast, has opened its doors to her.
"It's a big step for Indian cinema to have roles written and actors cast from the Northeast region," said Kevichusa to DH. "It's wonderful that 'Anek' has given a platform to so many people from 'back home' to showcase their talents and have their stories told. We hope this will open many other doors in the future," she said.
The model-turned-actress was cast in Anek in 2019.
A few months after she had moved to Bombay, her agent informed her about a meeting with Anubhav Sinha. "The director told me he was working on a film and wanted me to play the female lead in the role of a boxer. I was taken aback because it was out of the blue, and I had never tried my hand at acting before," said Kevichusa.
She had to undergo months of training for boxing and weight training for her role.
Kevichusa revealed that while she was "nervous about being a first-timer," the comfortable environment created for her by the team and crew members put her at ease. "I quickly grew out of my nervousness."
Kevichusa doesn't consider Anek a "mainstream Bollywood film."
"It has a strong message; a film like this has never been made before and I'm happy to be a part of it," said Kevichusa.
"There were a lot of "firsts" for me in Anek, from learning a new sport to learning how to ride a bike. It helped me widen my horizon and gave me the space to grow. Growing up, I had seldom seen people that looked like me act in films in India. I hope "Anek" gives people the encouragement they need to believe that things are changing," said Kevichusa
(Gurpreet Kaur is a journalist who writes on lifestyle, entertainment and culture)